Unexpected Encounters
by Carnivorous Mushroom
Summary: The beautiful guardian of the Shikon Jewel and the royal dog demon from the Western Lands cross paths one day, unknowing that their meeting has entangled them in the threads of fate. Can she forget her duty? Can he overcome his pride? Only "fate" will tell. Sesskik. Set 50 years before main IY story. COMPLETE.
1. Enter the Taiyoukai and the Miko

**EDIT (From 10/6/12) : **Hey all, this is my future self here, from 2012. Looking back through this, which I began to type out way back in 2006 (I think), I realized how embarrassing my writing is... So yeah, this here fic is probably going to go through a major revision sometime. For now, please just bear with my (mostly grammatically correct) "blah" writing through the beginning chapters. I swear that this gets a lot better as I begin to go through writing puberty! Give it a chance.

A/N: This is my second story and my first SessKik fanfic. This is based on my favorite couple. For those of you who don't like Sesshoumaru and Kikyou as a couple, please don't read this, for those of you who do like this pairing then enjoy! This is set back even before Inuyasha and Kikyou met.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

**Unexpected Encounters**

**Chapter One: Enter the Taiyoukai and the Miko**

* * *

He walked through the dense forest not having a real destination. He was tall, wearing only the finest of clothing with a sword at his hip, he had long white, silky hair, with eyes that resembled the sun, and he was truly a warrior. Despite his eyes which glimmered like the sun itself, they were empty; they did not have a single trace of emotion in them, almost like the eyes of the dead.

Beside the handsome man was a toad-looking creature. It was very short compared to the man besides him; he was no taller than a human child. He was trotting and seemed to trip over anything, whether it was a twig, rock, or even the air itself.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, where exactly are we going? We've been traveling for days." The toad-demon squawked. Its voice was utterly annoying, but he was trying his best to not show his anxiousness.

"We are going east, Jaken" Was all Sesshoumaru said. Like his eyes his voice also symbolized he was cold and indifferent.

"East! Isn't that the direction to the village where that Miko lives?" Jaken exclaimed.

"What Miko?" Sesshoumaru asked, slight curiosity in his tone.

"I think her name is Kikyou. She is the protector of the Shikon no Tama and is in charge of purifying it. Rumors say that she is the most powerful miko in the land and that she kills every demon that even tries to lay a finger on the Shikon Jewel." Jaken explained.

"I'd like to test this woman's power." Sesshoumaru stated.

"My lord, you can't! They say that her sacred arrow can purify any demon with a single hit. She also never misses her target! She'll kill you, my lord!" Just after Jaken finished his sentence he got a kick to the head by Sesshoumaru.

"Humph, a mere miko can defeat me? How ridiculous. She does not concern me" Sesshoumaru said as he continued walking towards the east.

"My Lord, wait for me!" Jaken got up and went running after Sesshoumaru.

Two girls were picking herbs in the forest. One girl was merely a child while the other one was in her teens. The older girl had long, raven-colored black hair, fair, pale skin, and beautiful eyes that were the color of earth. Her eyes were kind and loving, but one could see the sorrow in her eyes. She was wearing a white haori and red hakama and her hair was in a loose ponytail, being held by a white ribbon. It clearly meant she was a miko. The younger girl appeared a bit like the older girl, except she was wearing a yellowish kimono and her was not as long.

"Kikyou, I don't trust that man, the man named Onigumo. He was a thief, after all. Are you sure we should be helping him?" The younger asked.

"You needn't worry, Kaede. Onigumo won't be able to move ever again. He will stay in that spot until the day he dies," Kikyou replied softly, "Besides; a miko offers salvation to all, even if it is a bandit."

"If you say so, onee-sama." Kaede said.

"Kikyou-sama! Kikyou-sama!" A man came stumbling through the bushes.

"What's wrong? Has something happened?" Kikyou asked walking over to the man.

"It's a demon and it wants to steal the Shikon no Tama!" The man said through hard breaths.

"Stay here, Kaede. Don't go anywhere near the village until I come back and tell you its safe." Kikyou told her younger sister. Kaede just nodded. Kikyou left to the village, slinging her quiver of arrows on her back and grabbing her bow.

"Be careful onee-sama!" Kaede yelled. She was worried for her big sister's well-being, "please return safely!"

When Kikyou arrived at the village, some buildings were destroyed. Kikyou followed the destroyed buildings until she found the demon. It was huge, but it was no match for Kikyou.

"Where is the Shikon no Tama? Give it to me!" The demon bellowed. Kikyou just got an arrow ready, charging it with purifying powers and shot it at the demon, it only hit the demon's arm though. The demon raised its arm about to strike Kikyou, but Kikyou shot another arrow; this time disintegrating it.

"Pathetic…" Kikyou muttered. It was barely audible. All the villagers soon came out of their hiding spots and thanked Kikyou for saving them and for protecting the Shikon no Tama. Kikyou smiled at them, but it was not a real smile. She tried to hide how she really felt about being a miko and protector of the Shikon Jewel by faking a smile.

"Excuse me, but I must go to Kaede" Kikyou said. The villagers moved and returned to whatever they were doing before the demon attacked.

"Onee-sama! You're okay, I was worried!" Kaede ran over to the approaching Kikyou.

"Let's go back to picking those herbs for Onigumo now, shall we?" Kikyou suggested kindly.

"Okay!" Kaede replied. 'I'm so glad onee-sama is alright, but instead of looking happy for her victory, she looks sort of sad. Or maybe it's just my imagination.'

"Let's go Kaede; we'll be able to find better herbs deeper in the forest." Kikyou stated.

'What if we actually find this miko? What if she kills lord Sesshoumaru? No, she can't! I have to have more confidence in my lord! There's no way a human could beat Lord Sesshoumaru! He'll be the one to kill her, I'm sure of it!' Jaken pondered. Sesshoumaru and Jaken were still walking on the path to the miko's village. They were fairly close to the village now; it would only be a matter of time before they got there.

Sesshoumaru abruptly stopped. 'I hear something… It seems to be the voice of a child and a voice of an older girl. They're humans, I can smell it.'

"Onee-sama, is this the right herb?"

"Yes Kaede that is a medicinal herb, which is what we're looking for."

The two were approaching Sesshoumaru and both Kikyou and Kaede could see him clearly now.

* * *

A/N: This is the first chapter of my new story! Remember, this story is set back before even Inuysha and Kikyou ever met, which is more thanfifty years ago.I hope you liked it! Please read & review!


	2. Pass Me By

A/N: Hello! This is the second chapter! In the last chapter Jaken called Sesshoumaru "Lord Sesshoumaru" and well, it doesn't sound right since the villagers call Kikyou "Kikyou-sama" so from here on, it will be Sesshoumaru-sama, not Lord Sesshoumaru. I want to thank all of you who reviewed; you guys make me so happy! dances

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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**Chapter 2**

Kaede and Kikyou could make out the figure of a man. As they got closer they could see him clearer. Kaede was worried, but Kikyou already new what the approaching man was. She knew it was a demon, not a human. '_This demonic aura… It's unbelievably strong. It is best if I continue walking and ignore him. I would do better avoiding trouble_.' Kikyou mused. Kaede looked in fear at the man in front of the man. It was now clear to her that it was a demon. Just by his appearance, Kaede could tell he was a demon.

Kaede looked up to see Kikyou. All Kaede saw was her sister's calm face. _'Onee-sama, don't you know that this man's a demon_!' Kaede thought. "Onee-sama?" Kaede whispered so only Kikyou could hear. Unknown to Kaede was that Sesshoumaru had heard it perfectly. Kikyou did not face her little sister, instead she continued walking.

Sesshoumaru had seen them before they had seen him. '_The child seems to be terrified, yet the miko seems to not notice my presence. Is she ignoring me_?' Sesshoumaru thought.

Beside him, Jaken was trembling with fear.

'_Is this the miko! What if she is! She has to be, she fits the description that the demons told me about perfectly! Long, black hair, and as beautiful as a human could be. Oh, I hope Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't know she's the miko Kikyou_!' Jaken frantically thought.

Kaede looked up at her sister again, but Kikyou was still incredibly calm. '_Kikyou? What are you doing? This guy could hurt us! Why don't you do anything?' _Kaede was worried.

They were fairly close now, only a few feet away. Jaken was sweating non-stop while Kaede had an anxious expression on her face. Yet Kikyou and Sesshoumaru were both calm. At last they were only a few inches beside each other until they finally passed each other. Both Jaken and Kaede let out the breath they did not notice they were holding.

'_He didn't attack us! In fact, he didn't even acknowledge us_!' Kaede thought.

'_That was too close for my liking_.' Jaken pondered.

Once Kaede was sure the two demons were out of hearing range she asked Kikyou, "Onee-sama, why didn't you do anything?"

"Because he was none of my concern." Kikyou replied. '_Though I do wonder what such a demon was doing here.'_

"But onee-sama, he was a demon! Shouldn't you have killed him?" Kaede said.

"If he was not causing us any harm, I don't see why we should kill him. Besides, he was too strong. It is best if we could avoid unnecessary trouble." Kikyou explained.

'Onee-sama is so smart. When I grow up I want to be just like her.'

"Come, Kaede. We still have herbs to pick." Kikyou told her little sister.

"Yes, Kikyou." Kaede followed Kikyou and they continued on their search for herbs.

* * *

Sesshoumaru and Jaken were still walking eastwards. There was complete silence until Sesshoumaru spoke, "Jaken."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"That was the miko you spoke about, wasn't it?" Sesshoumaru said monotonously.

'_What should I do? If I lie and say she wasn't, then he'll find out right away, meaning I'll shorten my life span by a hundred years. If I tell the truth, I don't know what will happen. I think I'll tell the truth_!' Jaken mused. "Y-Yes, S-Sesshoumaru-sama. That was the miko, Kikyou."

"Humph. She did not seem so powerful. But she was smart to not start a conflict. It's too bad; I would have liked to test her power." Sesshoumaru stated.

"Does this mean you won't go test her power!" 'Yes!' Jaken added inwardly.

"It means nothing."

'_Damn_!' Jaken cursed in his mind.

* * *

"Are these enough, onee-sama?" Kaede asked. She had a bundle of herbs in her hand while Kikyou held a large basket of herbs.

"Yes, these should be enough for some time. Let's go to the cave and put these herbs to use." Kikyou replied.

'_I don't know why we help Onigumo. He's rude and he's done unforgivable things. But onee-sama takes pity on him. I sometimes wish she wasn't so kind_.' Kaede thought.

"Kaede, don't fall behind." Kikyou snapped Kaede out of her thoughts. Kaede then noticed that she was way behind Kikyou.

"Darn!" Kaede cursed as she ran to catch up.

After a bit of walking, the two sisters had gotten to a cave which seemed to be where the wounded bandit, Onigumo, resided. The two walked in and walked up to a man who was lying on a mat. He opened his only eye, which was not covered by bandages. As soon as he had opened his eye, a wicked smile had formed on his mutilated face. This made Kaede shudder. She knew why that man smiled so wickedly. It was because he wanted Kikyou and Kaede thought that utterly disgusting. How could such a tainted man lust after such a pure thing?

"Kikyou…" Onigumo whispered, liking the way how the name sounded on his tongue. Kikyou also thought it disgusting, but she kept a straight face on and ignored his twisted feelings for her.

"Onigumo, we have brought medicinal herbs." Kikyou said coldly.

'_Kikyou-sama doesn't like Onigumo either, but still she helps him. She is just too kind'_.

Kikyou then took a seat on the floor next to a few tools and started grounding the medicinal herbs so they would be applicable. Kaede had moved far from Onigumo; she couldn't stand to be near him.

"Kikyou, why did you come later than usual?" Onigumo asked.

"There was a short delay." Kikyou responded, focusing on the job she was doing.

"Stubborn woman…" Onigumo whispered so not even Kikyou could hear.

* * *

A/N: Well, there you go, the second chapter! I know you're going to hate me for Sesshoumaru and Kikyou ignoring each other, but it's not like Sesshoumaru would just say hi or attack her for no reason. Same goes for Kikyou. They need time. Well, next chapter there's definitely going to be more Sesshoumaru in it, look forward to that! I was almost going to do my essay, which is due on Thursday, but I chose to do this for the readers

Ciao


	3. Defender of the Jewel

A/N: Hello, again! As I said last chapter, there will be more Sesshy in this chapter. For those of you who like action you'll probably like this chapter. I want to thank all of you who took their time to review. I also want to thank those who have read this fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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Chapter Three

Sesshoumaru was sitting on a rock in a clearing of the forest with Jaken sitting close by. It was already night, and the moon and the stars were out. Sesshoumaru stared at the moon with a blank expression on his face. Sesshoumaru did not really need rest, but he had stopped for the night anyway. Jaken glanced at Sesshoumaru briefly before returning his sight to a tree. '_What could Sesshoumaru-sama be thinking about? Could he be thinking about our earlier encounter with the miko?_'

Jaken was indeed right. Sesshoumaru was thinking about their encounter with Kikyou. He didn't know why, but the way she ignored him irked him. It also bothered him how she held no fear in her eyes, her eyes were almost as cold as his own. He was so use to people, human and demon, fearing him that he had forgotten the last person who had not been afraid of him. Even Jaken, his loyal servant, was afraid of him, yet a mere human woman was not. Sesshoumaru suddenly sat up from his sitting place.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, what's wrong?" Jaken asked, surprised at his lord's sudden movements.

"Can't you smell it? Another demon is nearby." Sesshoumaru replied. Knowing another demon was nothing but trouble, Jaken protectively put his staff in front of him while Sesshoumaru just stood there waiting for the demon to show itself. Jaken was a bit nervous, but Sesshoumaru looked perfectly calm. After a short moment, the demon that had been nearby had suddenly jumped out. It was a huge dragon demon that had extremely sharp claws.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Jaken screamed. Jaken then hid himself behind Sesshoumaru.

"Vermin, what do you want?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.

"You only call me vermin! Nobody calls me that!" The dragon demon bellowed. The demon then tried to slash Sesshoumaru, but Sesshoumaru got out of the way before it could hit him.

"Too slow." Sesshoumaru stated. The demon tried to slash at him again, but failed again.

"Arghh, I'll kill you!" The demon yelled in frustration. It once again attempted to attack Sesshoumaru withits claw and once again it missed. Sesshoumaru then let out a strange whip of light between his fingers and sliced the demon in half. The remains of the demon fell to the ground and the ground was covered with the demon's blood. A small piece of the demon, however, fell on Jaken.

"Aaaaaaaah! Its got me! Help me!" Jaken yelled at the top of his lungs. He was running around in circles until Sesshoumaru stopped him by kicking Jaken in the head.

"Ugh!" Jaken immediately stopped.

"Get a hold of your self; it is already dead."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you did it! You beat the demon! No one is stronger than you!" Jaken praised.

"Humph." Sesshoumaru said before walking off.

"Sesshoumaru-sama where are we going?" Jaken asked.

"Away from here." Sesshoumaru said dully. Jaken scurried after Sesshoumaru. '_I wish Sesshoumaru-sama would be more talkative._' Jaken thought to himself.

They both kept walking and like always there was complete silence. Only the sounds of the forest and their footsteps could be heard.

* * *

Kikyou and Kaede had already gotten back from the cave where Onigumo laid. Kaede was glad they had gotten away from Onigumo, but she couldn't tell what Kikyou felt. They were in their hut. It was not luxurious or glamorous, but comfortable enough to live in. Neither Kikyou nor Kaede needed luxury.

"Kaede, it is time for you to rest." Kikyou commanded gently. Kaede yawned; she had no objection to Kikyou's order.

"Okay, onee-sama. Good night." Kaede lied down on a mat on the floor and closed her eyes. Almost immediately after she closed her eyes she had fallen into a peaceful slumber.

"Good night, Kaede." Kikyou whispered softly. Kikyou then smiled at Kaede. Kaede was probably the only person she loved.

* * *

Kaede opened one of her eyes. When she realized it was already morning, she noticed that Kikyou was gone.

"Onee-sama? She's probably out and helping the villagers and protecting the Shikon no Tama. That means I must have overslept! Oh no, I always help Kikyou!" Kaede said out loud. She then sat up on the mat and brushed her hair swiftly and went outside. "Onee-sama!" She called out.

"Kaede? What's wrong why are you calling out your sister's name?" An elderly woman asked Kaede.

"I overslept and now I can't find Kikyou." Kaede explained frantically.

"Calm down child, she's at the shrine." The elderly woman said kindly.

"Thank you, elder." Kaede thanked the woman. Kaede then ran off to the shrine. When she got there she opened the sliding door quietly and whispered, "Onee-sama are you in here?"

"Kaede, what are you doing here?" Kikyou appeared in front of Kaede.

"I'm sorry! I overslept and……" before Kaede could finish Kikyou interrupted.

"It's alright Kaede; you don't have to get so worried." Kikyou said soothingly. "I only came here to pray, would you like to join me?"

"Yes!" Kaede happily replied. After a while of praying Kikyou got up from her spot on the floor.

"Kaede, stay here in the village." Kikyou said.

"Onee-sama, is something wrong?"

"I sense a demon near." After hearing this, Kaede stood up suddenly.

"Can't I go with you?" Kaede asked her big sister in a worried tone.

"No, it is too dangerous. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"But, Onee-sama…"

"When you are older and you can fight, then maybe I will allow you to come, but until then you will not be exposed to danger." Kikyou said.

"O-Okay…" Kaede said reluctantly. After Kaede said that Kikyou immediately walked out of the shrine to find the oncoming demon. Even though the demon could turn into a big problem, Kikyou walked gracefully without any worries. She was truly confident in her abilities. Kikyou walked out of the village and into the dense forest. Kikyou then abruptly stopped.

"Are you the protector of the Shikon no Tama?" A low voice asked out of nowhere.

"Yes, I am the jewels protector, is it the Shikon no Tama that you seek?" Kikyou said coldly.

"Give it to me! Give me the jewel!" Its low voice was now a high pitched yell. The thing came out of wherever it was hiding and Kikyou noticed that it was snake demon.

"And if I don't?" Kikyou asked dully.

"Then I'll just have to kill you!" It yelled.

* * *

'_I wonder if Sesshoumaru-sama still intends to test the miko's power. Like I said before, I wish he talked more._' Jaken sighed inwardly. Sesshoumaru and Jaken had walked all night. Sesshoumaru did not seem tired, Jaken, however, looked like he had just run all over Japan. Jaken was falling behind every time he took a step forward. Sesshoumaru then stopped.

'_Has Sesshoumaru-sama finally realized that I can't possibly catch up to him_?' Jaken asked himself.

"It seems as though we have bumped into the miko once again." Sesshoumaru informed Jaken.

"W-What?"

"The miko is just ahead of us with some other demon." Sesshoumaru jumped up on a tree and he could clearly see Kikyou fighting the snake demon that wanted the Shikon no Tama.

* * *

Kikyou loaded an arrow onto her bow, aiming it at the demon that had threatened to kill her. The demon got in a position that looked like it was ready to fight.

"Foolish girl, do you think you can beat me with a mere arrow?" The demon mocked. Kikyou did not respond to the demons comment, instead she concentrated on what she had to do. She had to get rid of the demon before it caused any trouble. The demon then lunged at Kikyou preparing itself to slash her with its claws. Kikyou only released the arrow. The arrow was soon enveloped in a pale, blue light. The arrow hit the exact spot that she had aimed at; the demon's heart. Right after the arrow had hit the demon, it had disintegrated into nothing.

'A sacred arrow?' Sesshoumaru, who was watching from one of the trees, thought. Kikyou then turned around to face the tree that Sesshoumaru was watching from.

"Demon, I am no fool. I know you are on this tree." Kikyou stated.

"Is that so?" Sesshoumaru said, jumping off the tree to fully face Kikyou.

* * *

A/N: Well, there you go, the third chapter! I tried to make it a bit longer, but I'm not sure if that's enough. Is this what you call a cliffhanger? Well, I'm in a dilemma right now. I can't decide whether Inuyasha should make an appearance or not. He would meet Kikyou, but of course it would end up as SessKik pairing, but really don't know… I can't decide! Well, it would be nice if you guys would leave a review.

Next Chapter: Sesshoumaru and Kikyou talk to each other for the first time.


	4. No Reason to Stay

A/N: I was going to update sooner, but I had no time whatsoever. I literally have a pile of homework each day and I've been having to go to the dentist lately (The dentist is evil!). My internet has also been down lately. Please forgive me for not updating! Well, enough of my life, this is chapter you've been waiting for: Sesshoumaru and Kikyou talk to each other for the first time. Yay! I've been looking forward to this chapter! Oh, and thanks to the kind people who take their time to review and read this fanfic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

**Unexpected Encounters**

**Chapter Four**

"Is that so?" Sesshoumaru said, jumping off the tree to fully face Kikyou. However, Kikyou did not respond, she just glowered at him. Neither Kikyou nor Sesshoumaru made a single movement. The only thing that could be heard was the wind passing through the trees. They both stood there for a while until Kikyou broke the awkward silence.

"Demon, what is it that you want? Why are you here?" Kikyou asked, keeping her menacing stare. Sesshoumaru did not say anything; instead he merely looked at her.

'_This woman; she does not show any signs of fear. Is she really as strong as they say she is?' _Sesshoumaru thought.

* * *

Kaede was now practicing her archery in the forest. She was aiming her arrows at a nearby tree. She let go of the arrow she had on the bow. It completely missed the target; it had landed on a patch of grass next to the tree. Kaede sighed, she had been practicing her archery for a long time, but she kept missing her target and kept hitting the ground and sometimes random objects.

"How can I ever be as good an archer as onee-sama when I can't even hit a tree?" Kaede spoke out loud. She loaded another arrow onto her bow and let it go. This time it hit the side of the tree. "Yes, I did it! I hit the tree!" Kaede said happily. "If only onee-sama was here. Now that I think about it, Kikyou hasn't returned yet and it has been a long time since she left. What if she got hurt! I've got to go find her, even if she said no to!" Kaede spoke worriedly. Kaede put her bow on her back and ran off deep into the forest. She ran until she heard a man and a woman talking. There was no doubt about it; the woman's voice was Kikyou's voice.

'Kikyou-sama! And that demon from before. Oh no, is he planning to kill her?' Kaede looked on as she saw Kikyou and Sesshoumaru glowering at each other.

* * *

"Is it the Shikon no Tama you seek?" Kikyou asked, getting ready to draw her bow. Sesshoumaru stared at her bow before asking a question of his own.

"Are you the miko who protects it?"

"Yes, I am. Do you wish to take it from me to make yourself more powerful?" Kikyou asked. There was no emotion in her voice.

"No, I am not interested in such a thing." He said in his usual monotonous voice.

"Then what is your purpose?" Kikyou said calmly. Sesshoumaru did not move from the spot he was on. He just glared at her. A fresh breeze blew, causing Kikyou's raven-black hair and Sesshoumaru's silver-white hair to move in the direction of where the wind blew. They stood there for awhile, which felt like hours to Jaken, who was hidden behind the tree Sesshoumaru was previously on. Jaken had a terrified expression on his face. Probably because he was afraid of what the outcome would be if Sesshoumaru and Kikyou battled.

Like Jaken, Kaede too felt like it had been hours since she had arrived. She hid herself in the bushes nearby. '_Kikyou-sama, please be alright.'_ thought Kaede.

'_Sesshoumaru-sama is going to be fine. Sesshoumaru-sama is going to be fine. Sesshoumaru-sama is……_' Jaken kept repeating in his head as if to reassure himself that Sesshoumaru would be the victor if Sesshoumaru and Kikyou would battle.

"I wish to test your power." Sesshoumaru stated.

'_Oh no_!' Kaede and Jaken thought at the same time.

"I have no desire to fight you. If you are not after the Shikon no Tama or not trying to destroy the village, then I have no business with you. I suggest you leave." Kikyou said.

'_Phew!_' thought Kaede and Jaken.

"Then you refuse to fight me?"

"I have no reason to fight you." said Kikyou. Kikyou turned around gracefully and began walking.

"You are leaving?" Sesshoumaru said.

"I have no reason to stay." Kikyou said dully. "Come Kaede, we shall return to the village." Kikyou added out of the blue. Kaede gasped in surprise while Jaken's eyes widened.

'_She knew I was here the whole entire time_' Kaede pondered before stepping out of the bushes she was hiding in. "Yes, onee-sama."

"I also know, demon, that you are hiding behind that tree. Quite cowardly, aren't you, to be afraid of a mere human woman?" Kikyou said before she began walking with Kaede close behind. At that moment Jaken jumped out of his hiding spot.

"Why you little bitch! How dare you insult-"

"Jaken." Sesshoumaru cut him off.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"We are leaving." Sesshoumaru informed Jaken before walking off.

"What?" Jaken stared confusedly at his lord.

"Are you coming or not?" Sesshoumaru asked annoyed.

"Y-Yes, master!" Jaken then scurried to catch up to Sesshoumaru.

* * *

"Kaede, did I not tell you to stay in the village?" Kikyou asked her younger sister. Kikyou was not mad, but she wasn't very happy about it either.

"I'm sorry onee-sama. I went into the forest to practice my archery, but I got worried and came looking for you. Please forgive me." Kaede apologized.

"Don't worry about it too much. We are both unharmed and well, there is no reason to get mad. Next time, don't come near danger, alright?" Kikyou told Kaede.

"Yes, Kikyou."

"Did your archery go well?" Kikyou asked all of a sudden.

"Huh?"

"Didn't you say you practiced your archery?" Kikyou asked. Kaede inwardly slapped herself on the forehead.

'_I'm so dumb! How could I have forgotten?_' Kaede scolded herself. "Well, I finally hit the tree."

"That's good. Maybe when you have better aim I will let you to fight along side me." Kikyou smiled at Kaede.

"Really?" Kaede said excitedly.

"Yes, really." Kikyou replied.

'_I've got to practice even harder now. I know if I keep practicing I'll be able to hit anything_!'

"It is time to go back to Onigumo. I'm sure he is hungry by now." Kikyou said.

'_Not him again_.' Kaede's face immediately changed from happy to discouraged.

"I know you don't like him, but it is something we must do."

"Yes, Kikyou"

"Good. Now let's get the herbs we collected from the hut and be on our way." Kikyou said.

The two sisters walked side by side all the way back to the village and into their hut. They gathered the herbs that they had collected and set off to the cave Onigumo resided in.

* * *

Sesshoumaru and Jaken had walked all the way until they got to a river. There, Sesshoumaru decided to stop. Sesshoumaru was standing and looked as if he was thinking hardly about something.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken called. Sesshoumaru merely turned to face Jaken instead of answering him. Jaken took this gesture as a sign to continue.

"Are we going to stay here any longer? I mean, the miko refused to fight you and there's no other reason to stay." Jaken said. But Sesshoumaru did not respond. This made Jaken nervous. '_Oh no, did I say something I shouldn't have_?'

'_That miko refused to fight me; therefore, I could not test if she was really as strong as they said she was. She did not want to cause any unnecessary conflict. But demons say that she kills demons mercilessly. It is clear to me though, that she does not kill for the fun of it_.' Sesshoumaru mused.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, are you alright?" Jaken asked.

"We will leave when I say so. Is that clear Jaken?"

"Y-yes Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken replied nervously. '_Yikes, I better watch what I ask him from now on. Though I'm still curious about what Sesshoumaru's intentions are. Sesshoumaru is so hard to understand.' _Jaken sighed at what he thought.

* * *

A/N: The Fourth Chapter of Unexpected Encounters is finally done! Yay! This was a really hard chapter. It was hard imagining what Sesshoumaru and Kikyou would say to each other. I think I've decided against putting Inuyasha in the story. It would be great and all, but this fic is just especially for Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. Hehe. To tell you the truth, I don't really like the title of the story --; .Well, enjoy. I'll try to update as soon as I can. Adios! 


	5. A Blessing and a Curse

A/N: Hi, It's me again and I'm back with the fifth chapter! Yay! It's a little violent though. I've ran out of things to say here, so I guess I should get on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

**Unexpected Encounters**

**Chapter Five

* * *

**

A band of wandering bandits came riding on their horses; they were coming closer to a silhouette of a man. One of the bandits pointed toward the figure of the man. "Takahiro-sama! There's a man ahead! Do we attack him?" The bandit told a man dressed in a blue haori and blue hakama with sturdy armor on. That man was clearly their leader.

"What do you think? Of course we attack him." The leader told his underling. As they approached the man, they could see him clearer. It was Sesshoumaru with Jaken close behind him.

"The clothing that man is wearing! He must be rich!" Yelled one of the bandits.

"Let's steal all he's got!" The leader ordered. Sesshoumaru knew that the bandits were closing in on him, but he did not move an inch as they approached him. Jaken also did not move; he was not scared of the bandits either.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, do you wish for me to kill these vermin?" asked Jaken.

"No, I will do it myself." Sesshoumaru replied. Jaken looked disappointed at Sesshoumaru's reply, but he did not complain. He didn't want to anger his lord, after all. The bandits were now very close to Sesshoumaru and Jaken. They stopped their horses and unsheathed their swords.

"Hand over all your money and prized possession and maybe you will die a death without too much pain." The leader bandit told Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru did not say anything; instead his claws were turning into a greenish color. Sesshoumaru was planning to use his poisonous claws to kill the bandits.

"Get out of my way." Sesshoumaru said before attacking the bandits. He lunged towards the weaker ones first; killing them with one slash of his claws. The leader of the bandits watched Sesshoumaru kill his men one by one with a horrified expression on his face.

"You are not humans!" The leader of the bandits yelled worriedly.

"Foolish human, can't you see we're demons!" Jaken replied angrily.

'_These people are demons? I must retreat now before they kill me!' _Takahiro, the leader, thought.

"Ahhhhhh! Takahiro-sama, please help us!" one of the bandits yelled before his head came off of his neck and fell to the ground. But Takahiro did not help them instead he ran for his life. Sesshoumaru had already finished killing all the other bandits. He now noticed Takahiro running and he simply jumped in the air and landed right in front of him.

"Please, I beg of you to spare me. I'll do anything, I promise, just please don't kill me!" The bandit pleaded for his life.

"You came here to kill us; yet you're the one who's going to die, human!" Jaken told the bandit.

"No, please!" The bandit yelled. Sesshoumaru did not pay heed to the bandit's begging and instead raised his clawed hand. The bandit led out cry of pain as Sesshoumaru killed him by putting his claw through his chest.

"Foolish human." Sesshoumaru stated before taking his clawed hand out of the man's chest and walking off.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, wait for me!" Jaken called after Sesshoumaru, but Sesshoumaru did not slow down. _'Why do I even bother telling him to wait? It's not like he'll listen.' _Jaken sighed and started to trot faster to catch up to Sesshoumaru.

* * *

Kikyou and Kaede were tending to the villager's sicknesses by giving them medicine. Everything was pretty quiet since Kikyou had talked to Sesshoumaru. A week had passed since then. Barely any demons had wanted to steal the Shikon no Tama that week and the village was happy about this. They knew that if demons came to steal the jewel, it would not only mean trouble for Kikyou, but for them too.

"Here, eat this and you will feel much better." Kikyou told the man she was tending to. She handed him an herb of some kind and he gratefully took it from her hand.

"Thank you Kikyou-sama. I don't know we would do without you. The Gods really did send us a blessing by you being our priestess." The man told Kikyou. Kikyou smiled at him and stood up from her kneeling position on the floor.

"Thank you, but you are too kind." Kikyou said after a moment. The man bowed and then left the hut they were in. Kaede watched him leave and then she too stood up.

'_A blessing? Is that what they think of me as_?' Kikyou pondered while staring at nothing in particular. Kaede noticed her big sister's trance.

"Onee-sama, is something wrong?" Kaede asked. Kikyou snapped out of her trance and turned around to face Kaede.

"No, I am fine."

"Are you sure?" Kaede asked once more.

"Yes." Kikyou reassured Kaede. Kikyou then began walking out of the hut. Kaede watched Kikyou and then she also began walking.

'_I wonder what Kikyou was thinking about_.' Kaede thought.

"Kaede, shall we go pick more herbs? We are running out of them with all these illnesses going on in the village." Kikyou said.

"Huh, oh, yes." Kaede replied.

They both walked through the forest trying to find medicinal herbs. They walked for a long time until they came upon a clearing. That's when Kikyou abruptly stopped. Kaede almost bumped into Kikyou because of her sudden stop.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Kaede was saying until she stopped. She now knew why Kikyou had stopped so suddenly. The sight in front of them was truly horrific. There were corpses of dead men all over the place. They were all brutally murdered. Kaede gasped loudly. She wanted to scream, but she stopped herself.

"W-what happened here?" Kaede stammered.

"Kaede, look away, this isn't a sight for children to see." Kikyou ordered gently. Kaede obediently looked away; she did not want to see that gruesome sight anymore.

"Onee-sama, who are these men? They do not look like they are from the village."

"They are bandits. They probably tried to ambush a demon and got killed along the way." Kikyou explained.

"But why would the bandits want to rob a demon?" Kaede asked.

"They probably thought the demon was a human. Some demons have a human appearance." Kikyou told her younger sister.

"How horrible…" Kaede muttered.

"Yes, but that is the way this world is…" Kikyou whispered so Kaede couldn't hear.

"Huh, did you say something?" Kaede asked.

"No, I didn't. Let's pray for these people; I'm sure they would not like it if they weren't given a proper farewell." Kikyou suggested.

"Even if they were bandits?" Kaede said.

"Yes." Kikyou started moving forward toward the rotting corpses. Kaede was about to turn around and follow Kikyou, but Kikyou stopped her from doing so. "Kaede, do not come close, you can pray from over there." Kaede obediently stayed with her back turned and prayed from there. After Kikyou had finished praying, she started moving around. Kaede could hear Kikyou's footsteps. Kikyou walked to one of the bandits and saw that he had a hole through his chest. She kneeled down and observed his wound. He had a hole through his chest.

'_This wound was not made by a sword. The size of this wound looks like the size of a human fist. This wound also contains poison_.' Kikyou mused. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the sound of footsteps.

"Who's coming?" Kikyou called out.

"Don't you recognize me, Kikyou?" A woman with dark black hair, navy blue eyes, and white skin said.

"Tsubaki…" Kikyou whispered. Kikyou was not expecting Tsubaki to hear, but it was clear Tsubaki did hear her because of the smug smirk on her face. Kaede had turned around as soon as she had heard Kikyou ask who was there and saw Tsubaki.

"You have not forgotten me, I see."

'_Tsubaki? I don't like her; if she's a miko, then why does she have such a malicious expression on her face_?' Kaede mused.

"What do you want?" Kikyou asked Tsubaki coldly.

"I only wanted to greet you." Tsubaki replied calmly. Kikyou did not respond instead she returned to what she was doing. Tsubaki was angered by this and asked, "Kikyou, why do you ignore me?"

"You said you only wanted to greet me." Kikyou said. Right after Kikyou said this, Tsubaki let out a dry, hard laugh.

"Dear Kikyou, you are quite funny." Kikyou only glared at her. "So, how is the Shikon no Tama? I hope you are doing well protecting it."

"You only say that because you wish for me to die in the process of protecting the jewel. When I am dead, you wish to become the jewel's protector and be the best miko alive." Kikyou stated. Tsubaki's smirk turned into a malicious scowl.

"As always, you can see right through me, Kikyou." Tsubaki said vehemently. "But you better watch yourself for if you were ever to feel love towards any man, that love could lead to your downfall. Oh, and do take care not to fall for a demon." Tsubaki added as her eyes flashed a bright red color.

"What makes you think I'd fall in love with a man? Or a demon?" Kikyou asked.

"Anything can happen." Tsubaki said before turning on her heel and walking off. Kaede watched this from her spot.

'_What? That woman is crazy_!' Kaede thought. Kikyou smirked from behind Kaede and let out a small, but dry laugh.

"Onee-sama?"

"Tsubaki, she placed a curse on me." Kikyou explained in an amused tone.

"A curse? What kind of curse?" Kaede questioned worriedly.

"If I am ever to fall in love with a man, I will die." Kikyou said bitterly. '_Me? Fall in love? That's almost impossible_.' Kikyou added inwardly.

* * *

A/N: The Fifth chapter is finally done! I'm sorry I took so long to update, please forgive me! I thought it would be interesting to add Tsubaki in this chapter. She probably won't appear much in future chapters. Now, about what Tsubaki said, about Kikyou dieing and falling in love, it's pretty obvious who she's going to fall in love with, but will she die? You might not know, but I know what's going to happen. Will Tsubaki's curse actually work, or will Kikyou be able to live happily ever after? You'll have to wait to find out, but you'll have to wait until several chapters from now! Hehe, while I was typing this chapter I kept listening to "Come" the 7th Inuyasha ending and one of my favorites, too! I'll try to update sooner next time and if you want to make me happy, then please review. Well, see you next chapter. 

Adios


	6. Underestimated

A/N: Well, I'm back with the sixth chapter, Yay!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, nor will I ever. Oh, the sadness of it all… T-T

* * *

**Unexpected Encounters**

**Chapter Six

* * *

**

Sesshoumaru walked in slow paces with Jaken following him close by. Sesshoumaru's slow and elegant strides were a huge contrast to Jaken's clumsy, brisk walk. Although Sesshoumaru was walking slowly, Jaken still had a hard time catching up to his lord. They were walking on the side ofa riverbank. It was getting close to sunset and it was getting darker every second. It was also getting chilly, but Sesshoumaru didn't mind the cold; Jaken, however,did mind. He was shivering violently and he was trying to figure out a way to warm himself up.

'_Damn this blasted cold! Maybe I can use the nintoujo and then use it to make a fire! Then I would be warm!'_ Jaken started to laugh at his great idea. Although Sesshoumaru did not say anything, he did arch an eyebrow at Jaken's strange behavior. Jaken started to point his staff at the ground, but Sesshoumaru stopped him.

"Jaken, what are you doing?" Sesshoumaru asked in his usual indifferent tone. Jaken stopped what he was doing and then turned to look at Sesshoumaru.

"Umm… Well, you see, I, um, was cold so I wanted to…" But Jaken was cut off by Sesshoumaru.

"Hmmph." Jaken immediately stopped what he was doing.

'_Well, there goes my chance to be warm…_' Jaken thought.

Sesshoumaru returned his gaze to the forest in front of him."There is a waterfall nearby." Sesshoumaru stated dully.

"Huh?"

"There is a waterfall nearby; I can smell it."

"A waterfall?"

"Yes, that is what I said." Sesshoumaru said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

'Oh no, I'm getting him irritated.' Jaken thought fearfully. "Are we going there, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked.

"Yes." Sesshoumaru replied bluntly. Jaken did not say anything else anymore. They continued walking until they found themselves in front of a waterfall. It was a beautiful place, but neither Sesshoumaru nor Jaken paid much attention to it; such beautiful scenery was not new to them.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, are we going to stop here?" Jaken asked.

"Yes." Sesshoumaru responded simply.

* * *

Kikyou was sitting in a middle of a field at night. She was gazing at the stars overhead. She loved to go out at night and just relax. She didn't get the chance to relax in the light of the day, so she would wait until night to have some time for herself. She looked at the jewel in her hand. She had brought it with her just in case a demon came and tried to steal it while she was away from the village. She didn't exactly enjoy protecting the jewel, but she did it anyway. She had accepted to purify the jewel out of the goodness of her heart. Kikyou sighed and returned her gaze to the sky. Kikyou then remembered Tsubaki and the curse; as well as all the bandits that were killed.

"The day I fall in love will be the day hell will freeze over." Kikyou thought out loud. "That Tsubaki…" Kikyou stood up and began walking in graceful strides. She didn't know where she was going, but she felt like taking a stroll. Kikyou walked into the forest and looked at the scenery. If it wasn't for the moon and the stars shining through the thick canopy, it would be pitch-black. The trees Kikyou passed appeared ominous. It was very quiet in the ominous-looking forest. Nothing was heard except the small sound of her footsteps and the sound of crickets chirping.

After a while of walking she could hear the sound of a waterfall and a river. She followed the sound of it until she came upon a clearing. There was a river leading to afairly large waterfall. It was a beautiful sight to behold. There were millions of fireflies illuminating the clearing. They gave it a sort of supernatural glow. Kikyou looked up at the sky to see that the moon and the stars were clearly visible since there were no trees to cover them. This was the first time she had seen this place. She walked nearer to the river until she could see the crystal clear water. She kneeled down and put her hand in the water. It was icy cold, but she was use to the cold water. She then pulled out her small hand. She gave a sideway glance at one of the trees, but she didn't even bother to turn around to face it.

"When will you show yourself? I know you are there, demon." Kikyou said bluntly.

"So you figured me out…" A tall demon with white clothing gracefully jumped off one of the trees surrounding the clearing. It was Sesshoumaru.

"Demon, what do you want now?" Kikyou asked.

"Nothing." Sesshoumaru replied dully.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I was only resting before you came upon here."

'_If he was already here when I came, then why couldn't I sense his presence until now?'_ Kikyou mused. While Kikyou pondered about this, Sesshoumaru just stood there; looking elegant. Kikyou suddenly noticed his physical appearance. The last time she saw him, she didn't pay much attention to how he looked. His white clothing was a huge contrast to the darkness of the night. She then looked at his countenance; she noticed he had a long face. She also saw the markings on his face; the crescent moon on his forehead and the two magenta stripes on each side of his cheeks. Hisamber eyes held no emotion.She then realized that he was extremely tall, well, compared to her he was incredibly tall. Overall, he was quite handsome.

Sesshoumaru also noticed the miko's looks. He noticed how her long raven-colored hair was not in a ponytail like thelast time he saw her; it was letloose. Her hair blended perfectly with the darkness surrounding them. Her eyes were a chocolate color. Her pale, white skin reminded him of the moon. He admitted she was a beautiful woman, but he did not care much about it.

"Is that so? Then why is it that I could not feel your presence?" She asked.

"Maybe you're not such a great miko." He responded cruelly. Kikyou, however, did not look the least bit offended; she remained unfazed by his comment.

"If you do not wish for anything, then I have no reason to stay here." Kikyou stated before turning the opposite way she was facing, but she sensed him move. She turned around rapidly to see him raise his claw. "So, you wish to attack me?" Kikyou said, taking out her bow and slinging an arrow on it. She aimed it at Sesshoumaru and then released it. The arrow was soon covered with a bright light; the power of purity. Sesshoumaru had put his clawed hand up, catching the arrow, but he immediately let go of it. For a moment his eyes widened in surprise, but just as quick as it came, it left. The arrow had burned his hand badly.

Kikyou was also surprised. Not because his hand was burned, but because he had managed to catch it. '_He caught my sacred arrow? But he was burned by catching it. At least he was affected somehow.' _Kikyou thought. "You may have caught my arrow, but by doing so, you were burned by it." Kikyou stated. Sesshoumaru only stared up at her, but he did not say anything.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! I'm back!" Jaken came stumbling through the bushes, but as soon as he saw Kikyou he stopped. He then saw the burn on Sesshoumaru's hand.

"I am leaving." She told Sesshoumaru before leaving the clearing. Once Kikyou was out of earshot, Jaken began to prattle.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, what happened? Did you fight? Did she hurt you badly? Are you okay? I should have been here. Oh.." But Jaken did not get to finish his sentence because Sesshoumaru cut him off.

"Silence."

"Sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken apologized while groveling. But Sesshoumaru was not looking at Jaken; he was looking at the burn on his hand. It was not a bad burn, but it still looked painful. '_She managed to burn me._' He thought.

"It appears as though I have underestimated that woman's power." Sesshoumaru said.

"Huh?" Jaken said confusedly. '_Did Sesshoumaru-sama just say that woman is stronger than he thought_?' Jaken wondered. But Sesshoumaru did not repeat himself. Instead he turned his sight to the sky. He appeared to be in deep thought. '_I wonder what that woman did to cause him to get a burn in his hand. I wish I would have gotten here earlier. Oh, I knew that woman should not be messed with!' _Jaken was not the only one thinking about the incident. Sesshoumaru was also thinking about it.

'_Her arrow burned me. I did not think she could do that. I guess she is as powerful as they say she is…'_

_

* * *

_

Kikyou was going back to the village. It was very late and she knew that Kaede would be worried if she woke up, only to see her sister was missing. Kikyou reminisced about what had happened earlier.

'_He caught my arrow, but how? It should have purified him. He must be incredibly strong to catch my arrow and only leaving with a burn on his hand._' Kikyou mused. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw the village up ahead. She walked leisurely back to the village and got to her hut. When she came in Kaede was already awake.

"Onee-sama, where were you? I was so worried!" Kaede said worriedly.

"I was out in the forest. That was all." Kikyou replied. Kikyou could tell Kaede had been up waiting for her for a long time. "I'm sorry for making you wait so long." Kikyou added.

"I'm just happy you're back." Kaede said, running to her sister's side and hugging her. Kikyou's eyes softened as she patted Kaede's head.

"It's all right, I'm here." Kikyou consoled her. "But it is time for you to go to sleep again."

"Okay, good night onee-sama." Kaede said while she left to sleep on her futon.

"Good night, Kaede."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but I've been busy lately! I'm usually busy this week because on the weekdays my teachers gave me too much homework and on the weekends I had to go to the Fair, which is actually the National Date Festival ( I bet you don't know what that is…). Well, I hope you liked the chapter. It was another one of those hard chapters to write. . Hehe, it's already the sixth chapter and Kikyou doesn't know Sesshoumaru's name yet. But she will soon. It would be nice to leave a review… (hint, hint) 


	7. Name

A/N: I'm here with the seventh chapter!

Disclaimer: I'm still in school and I'm not filthy rich; what are the chances of me owning InuYasha?

* * *

**Unexpected Encounter**

**Chapter Seven

* * *

**

Kikyou and Kaede were in the forest practicing their archery when they were attacked by a demon who wanted to steal the jewel from Kikyou. The demon resembled a green giant ogre with luminous red eyes.

"The jewel… Give it to me!" The giant ogre roared.

"Kikyou!" Kaede gasped. She was horrified by the hideous demon.

"Don't worry, Kaede. This demon is weak." Kikyou consoled her. Kaede looked up at Kikyou. Kaede admired Kikyou's equanimity. Kikyou then aimed an arrow at the demon. She released her arrow and then it was enveloped in light. The arrow eviscerated the demon completely; it had disintegrated into nothing. Kaede smiled happily, but Kikyou remained blasé about it; purifying demons was a mundane thing for her.

"You did it onee-sama!" Kaede said happily. Kikyou smiled at her younger sister.

"Let's continue to work on your archery." Kikyou suggested.

"Okay!" Kaede replied happily.

* * *

Kikyou and Kaede were done practicing their archery and they were now heading back to their village. 

"Your aiming is getting better. One day you will be able to fight alongside me." Kikyou told Kaede.

"You think so!" Kaede said excitedly. Kikyou smiled at Kaede.

"Yes." Kikyou said gently. Kaede smiled a wide smile, showing all her teeth. Kikyou could tell she was happy. They were getting nearer to the village and they could now see it.

"Onee-sama… could I ask you a question?" Kaede asked. Kikyou turned her head to face Kaede.

"Of course."

"Whatever happened to that demon?"

"What demon?" Kikyou asked curiously.

"That demon that who had a human appearance. He had long silver hair." Kaede described. Kikyou then knew what demon Kaede was talking about.

"I saw him yesterday night." Kikyou replied bluntly. After hearing that, Kaede's eyes widened considerably.

"You did! Is that why you came late yesterday!" Kaede said; astonished.

"Yes."

"What happened? Did he try to attack you?" Kaede said worriedly.

"Yes, but I used my sacred arrow." Kikyou replied in a blasé sort of way.

'_Does that mean she purified him_?' Kaede mused.

"No, I did not purify him, if that's what you're thinking. He caught my arrow with ease, but it burned him by doing so." Kikyou said as if she knew what Kaede was thinking.

"Is he that strong?" Kaede asked amazed.

"Apparently, yes."

"Do you know what his name is?" Kaede asked. Kikyou then realized that she didn't even know his name.

"No, why?"

"I was just wondering." Kaede responded. By the time they finished their conversation they were already at the village. They were greeted by the villagers and they immediately started tending to the villager's sicknesses and wounds.

* * *

The sun was setting and it was getting darker by the second. Kikyou was coming out of the shrine and was about to head home. The sky was covered by dark clouds and Kikyou knew it was going to rain any day. She didn't know when, but she knew it was going to happen. She was walking in her usual slow strides that made her appear elegant and exquisite. Kikyou then remembered something she had not done. 

'_I forgot to go and tend to Onigumo's wounds. How foolish of me. I should go_.' Kikyou thought. She walked out of the village and out into the forest. She was headed for the cave Onigumo resided in. She was headed this way until she saw a group of villagers coming to her en masse.

"Kikyou-sama! There is tons of demon's coming this way!" Called out one of the villagers.

"I see…" Kikyou said simply before her slow pace turned into a much faster one. She knew if those demons got close enough to the village that would cause trouble.

"What would we do if we didn't have Kikyou-sama around?" One of the villagers said.

"We would be damned." Another one replied.

Kikyou then felt many demonic auras and saw that there were dozens of demons heading her way. She held her bow defensively in front of her and got an arrow from her quiver. She ran until she saw the demons in front of her. Kikyou couldn't believe her eyes; she had never seen so many demons before in her life. They were all lesser demons, but so many demons were bad news.

"Damn…" She cursed. She then started shooting arrows at all the demons that were close by.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was walking until he suddenly stopped causing Jaken to run into him. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama, is there something wrong?" Jaken asked. Sesshoumaru did not respond.

'_I smell the scent of many demons.' _Sesshoumaru mused.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" But Sesshoumaru did not respond; instead he continued walking, following the scent of the demons. Jaken just watched Sesshoumaru walk until Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Are you coming or not?" Sesshoumaru said dryly. He could really care less if Jaken accompanied him or not.

"Y-yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken replied, scurrying after him.

* * *

Kikyou had managed to get rid of most of the demons, but there was still a few more left. She was exhausted from using her purifying powers, but she did not back down. She put an arrow on her bow and aimed it at one of the demons and released it. It hit the demon right on target, but it did not disintegrate completely; it only disintegrated its arm. 

"My energy is running out; I must finish this quickly." Kikyou said to herself. She then tried shooting it again, and this time, Kikyou had killed it. She then shot one by one until there was only one demon left. '_Just one more…_' She thought. She then shot her last arrow at the demon; killing it instantly. "It's over." She panted from exhaustion. She then noticed a very strong demonic aura. '_I know that demonic aura_.' "You." She called out. Sesshoumaru then appeared out of nowhere.

"You killed all those demons." Sesshoumaru stated.

"Who else could have done it?" Kikyou said harshly.

"You are exhausted." Sesshoumaru said; taking notice of her panting. Kikyou felt like her legs couldn't support her anymore. She then fell down; landing on her knees.

"Getting rid of demons is a tiring task." Kikyou replied. Sesshoumaru looked down at her and said nothing more. There was an awkward silence. Both of them just stayed glued to their spot staring at each other. After some time, Kikyou broke the silence. "What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"I was merely walking when I caught the scent of many demons." He responded simply.

"I see." There was another long period of silence. Neither of them said a word after that. The only thing heard was the wind making the leaves rustle. "I should get going. I am fine now." She announced. Sesshoumaru did not move; he merely looked at her as she stood up, turned andpassed right by him.

"May I know your name?" Kikyou asked before leaving him.

"Sesshoumaru."

"Sesshoumaru…" She repeated and continued her walk, but before Sesshoumaru was out of earshot she said, "Farewell, Sesshoumaru." She said it so quietly that no mortal could ever hear, but Sesshoumaru had heard because he was a demon. When her voice reached his ear, it was like a soft whisper. He just watched her as she left him. After a while, Jaken came out.

'_Sesshoumaru didn't try_ _to kill the woman?'_ Jaken thought.

"We are going Jaken." Sesshoumaru told Jaken before turning around and starting to walking the opposite direction Kikyou went. Jaken trailed behind Sesshoumaru.

* * *

Kikyou walked along the dark forest. She was heading towards the cave in which Onigumo lay. She had intended to get their earlier, but the demons caused a delay and now it was late at night. While Kikyou walked, she thought about her earlier encounter with the demon known as Sesshoumaru. 

'_I've heard that name somewhere before… But where_?' Kikyou asked herself. She had heard that name elsewhere, but she couldn't exactly pinpoint where she had heard it before. After a while of trying to remember, she decided not to dwell on it too long; it wasn't significant, anyway. At least that's what she told herself.

When she snapped out of her musings, she found herself right in front of the cave. "I guess I was too wrapped into my thoughts that I failed to realize I was already here." She said out loud to no one in particular. She then went inside to find an injured man on a futon. It was Onigumo. When he saw her, his uninterested look was replaced with a lust filled gaze.

"Kikyou, you have come." Onigumo said.

"Yes."

"Why are you so late? You usually come here earlier." He asked in his usual in his gruff voice.

"There was a short delay." She responded. She then started to get some gruel that was already in the cave.

"Can't you be more specific?" He said. But Kikyou did not respond, she merely began to feed him. He stared up at her and smirked at the look in her face. '_What an arrogant woman. Yet, I desire her. I wish for her soul to be corrupted. I want her like I've never wanted anything before._' Onigumo thought as Kikyou fed him.

After she was finished feeding him, she began to tend to his wounds. '_If only I wasn't burned so badly and I wasn't paralyzed, then I could leave this hole and take Kikyou with me. And then I could claim the Shikon no Tama and my beloved Kikyou as mine. It would be like killing two birds with one stone, but I can't move._' Onigumo thought bitterly. He was badly burned and he was paralyzed. The fire that had burned him also mutilated his face. The former bandit did not appear human anymore. He hated that. He loathed that he could never be what he used to be. He wished to become what he was back when he was not burned. He now felt weak and vulnerable, and he detested that.

When Kikyou finished tending Onigumo's wounds she stood up from her spot and began walking out of the cave. "Leaving so soon?" Onigumo called out after her. She turned to glance at him before she answered him.

"Yes." Kikyou said before she left.

"Heh. Can't she be less blunt?" He said to himself.

* * *

Kikyou was soon back at the village. It was night and she was walking to the hut she and Kaede lived in. She noticed that there were dense clouds blocking the moon and the stars from view. She knew it was going to rain soon. She then arrived at her home and went into the hut. When she stepped in through the entrance she saw Kaede sitting on the floor. 

"Kaede." Kikyou said softly.

"Kikyou-sama! What took you so long?" Kaede asked Kikyou when she saw her.

"I ran into some demons." Kikyou answered her.

"Kikyou, you look tired." Kaede stated.

"Yes, killing that many demons is exhausting. By the way,I found out the answer to your question that you asked earlier today." Kikyou said.

"What question?"

"That demon's name, I know what it is now."

"Really? What is it?" Kaede asked curiously.

"Sesshoumaru." She said simply.

"Hmmmm… I feel like I've heard that name before."

"Yes, I've also heard it before. I don't remember, though." Kikyou agreed. "I think it is time we rest." Kikyou suggested. Kaede nodded and laid down on her futon.

* * *

A/N: Woohoo! I'm done with the seventh chapter! You know, listening to the wind while writing sort of gives me inspiration… that was sort of random. Well anyway, I hope you liked it. I guess you know why the story is called "Unexpected Encounters" now, huh? ; Oh, and don't think that Kikyou likes Sesshoumaru, yet just because she said "Farewell". She just doesn't hate him… Well, see you next chapter. Adios! 


	8. Like the Rain

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.

* * *

Kikyou was walking through the village wearing the straw rain-cloak and woven hat she wore when it either rained or snowed. In this case, she was using it because it was raining. Her prediction had come true. When Kikyou woke up the sky was already full of dark-colored clouds. It had started raining shortly after she had woken up. It was now night. She looked up at the sky and observed the dark masses of clouds up above. The rain was falling hardly. The ground was full of puddles. Every small, delicate step she took, the water would make small splashes; wetting her already soaked hakamas. 

The usual busy village was now empty. The villagers were probably in their homes; afraid to get wet. Kikyou did not mind the rain, in fact, she liked it. She liked the feeling of the rain falling on her pale skin. She thought the rain was quite a sorrowful thing to look at. It sometimes reminded her of her own self; cold and somehow filled with sorrow. The thing she liked the best about the rain was when it ended. A magnificent rainbow would come out when it ended. She loved looking at the vibrant rainbow. It represented everything she wasn't, and never could be.

She would always be the cold, hard rain.

Or so she thought.

She was walking until she saw two children; a boy and a girl. She looked around to see if they're parents were anywhere to be found, but there was no one in sight. Kikyou wondered what the boy and girl were doing there by themselves without any adults near them. She decided to ask them. She slowly made their way to them and once she was close enough she could see that they were worried about something. They were no older than Kaede. She also recognized them as two of the children of the village. She got closer to them.

"Children, what is wrong? Why do you wear such worried expressions on your faces?" Kikyou asked gently. When the two looked up, Kikyou could tell that they had been crying.

"Kikyou-sama!" The girl cried out as she ran and hugged Kikyou's leg. The boy soon did the same. Kikyou bent down and hugged them both, trying to console them. The two of them were both sobbing uncontrollably.

"What is the matter children?" Kikyou asked once more. The boy looked up at her sadly before he started explaining.

"We were in the forest with our mom and dad when a demon attacked us. Dad told us and mom to run. He said that he would be okay." The boy said between sobs.

"Where is you mother?" Kikyou asked. This time it was the girl who answered.

"Mommy didn't want to leave daddy alone so she told us to go back home. She said that she would come back soon, but they haven't came back yet!" The girl said before she started crying. Kikyou patted the girl's head.

"If it will make you feel any better I will go and find them for you." She suggested.

"You mean you'll bring them back for us!" The boy exclaimed. It was clear that Kikyou's suggestion had cheered him up.

"I'll try." Kikyou smiled at him.

"Kikyou-sama you're the best!" The girl said. Kikyou slowly got up. The children immediately let go of her leg; knowing she was leaving.

"Where were you when this happened?" Kikyou asked.

"We weren't too far from the village. We were close to that well that's in the forest." The boy replied.

'_The Bone-Eater's Well_?' Kikyou thought. "Very well, I'll see what I can do." Kikyou said before walking off.

"Thanks again, Kikyou-sama!" The children called out before she was out of earshot. Kikyou glanced at them before continuing on her way.

* * *

Sesshoumaru walked calmly through the forest with Jaken behind him. The pouring rain interfered with Sesshoumaru's sense of smell. It was also hard to see through the heavy rainfall. 

"Damn this blasted rain! I hate it!" Jaken grumbled from behind Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru paid no heed to Jaken's insignificant comment; instead he kept walking off to who-knows-where.

Sesshoumaru and Jaken were both soaked. They had no way to cover themselves. Jaken was constantly complaining about it, but Sesshoumaru didn't seem to care he was getting wet at all. Sesshoumaru's long silver-white hair stuck to his face. His boots were covered with mud. Jaken's bare feet were also covered with mud.

Jaken was shivering from the sheer cold. '_If we continue traveling in this damned rain I'm going to get sick soon_.' Jaken thought.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken called out; trying to get Sesshoumaru's attention. But Sesshoumaru did not say a thing. "Mightn't we stop for today? It's freezing cold and I don't think I can hold out much longer." Jaken continued.

Sesshoumaru merely ignored Jaken's comment and kept walking. '_Well, I tried._' Jaken sighed inwardly as, he, too continued walking. '_But really, where could we be going? What is the point of walking in this cursed rain?_' Jaken mused.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Help me!" Someone close by yelled. Sesshoumaru's ears twitched slightly while Jaken stopped completely.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, what was that?" Jaken asked.

"Please, somebody help me!" The voice that yelled had a feminine voice.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken looked towards Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru did not say a single word; he continued walking. Jaken said nothing more as he followed Sesshoumaru.

"Please help!" The voice sounded nearer now.

* * *

Kikyou swiftly walked to the Bone Eater's Well. She knew that she had a limited amount of time. She knew the demon would not hesitate to kill a human. Kikyou had a hard time seeing where she was going, but she knew she couldn't stop. 

"Aaaaaaaah!" Someone yelled out in pain. It sounded like the voice of a man. Kikyou froze for a second before continuing. Her hurried walk was now replaced by a swift run.

'_I have to get there faster_.' Kikyou thought. Through the rain she could make out the dark figure of the well. She ran towards where the yell had come from. She stumbled a bit when she could see figures in the falling rain, but she quickly composed herself. It was hard to see, but she could see a crying woman holding a blood stained man.

"Somebody please help us…" the woman whispered.

"Are you alright?" Kikyou asked the woman. The woman looked up with tear-filled eyes.

"Kikyou-sama, you've come! I knew somebody would help us!" The woman said. Kikyou looked at the man in the woman's arms. Kikyou could see that he had already died. Kikyou didn't say anything; she instead focused on the demon in front of them. It was a fairly large spider demon. Kikyou aimed an arrow at the demon steadily.

"Another human?" The demon said dully.

"Stay back." Kikyou told the woman. The woman obediently moved back; knowing not to get in Kikyou's way.

"Do you want to die, human?" The demon asked. Kikyou only glared at it. The demon was about to strike her when she released her arrow. Unfortunately, the arrow missed its target. Kikyou gasped, she almost never missed her target, especially in dire situations. If she didn't defeat the demon she would endanger the life of the woman and the villagers if the demon decided to raid the village. "Looks like you missed miko." The demon commented.

Kikyou squinted to see if that would help her see better. She knew it was a futile attempt, but she would do anything to help her sight. She shot another arrow. It too, had missed the demon, but she wouldn't give up. She shot another arrow. It hit one of the demon's eight legs; however, that was not enough to kill it. The demon yelped in pain.

"My leg! It's gone!" The demon yelled loudly. Kikyou was about to finish the demon off, but she wasn't quick enough. The demon had surpassed her speed and almost hit her with one of its eight legs. Kikyou moved out of the way to avoid being hit.

'_Such a demon would not pose a threat to me if it was not raining so hardly_.' Kikyou thought as she avoided another attack by the enraged demon.

"Kikyou-sama!" The woman cried out from behind Kikyou. Kikyou glanced back and saw that the woman had a worried expression on her face.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Kikyou assured her. The woman just stared at Kikyou. Kikyou returned her attention to the demon.

"You filthy human! You severed one of my legs!" The demon yelled out angrily. Kikyou once again shot an arrow at it. And once again it had failed and missed. The demon was about to hit her, when a voice interrupted.

"Get out of the way." The voice said. The demon turned around to see a man standing right in front of them. Kikyou's eyes widened; it was Sesshoumaru who had spoken.

"You." Kikyou said. Sesshoumaru did not even look at her; he didn't even acknowledge her precence.

"Another demon? Kikyou-sama!" The frightened woman cried out.

"Get out of my way." Sesshoumaru repeated himself.

"Why the hell should I move?" The spider demon asked furiously. Knowing the demon would not move out of his way, Sesshoumaru slashed through the demon with his claws, causing blood to splatter all over the place. It got on both Kikyou and the woman, but the rain quickly washed the blood off of their faces. Kikyou and the woman looked utterly astonished.

'_Why did he do that?_' Kikyou pondered.

'_B-but he's a demon!_ _Shouldn't he be on the spider demon's side?'_ The woman thought. Once the demon was completely dead, Sesshoumaru walked pass the dead demon until he was in front of Kikyou.

"Why did you do that?" Kikyou asked him.

"I didn't do it to save you or the other woman. The demon would not move out of my way so Imerely killed it." Sesshoumaru explained in his usual cold voice.

"You say it as if killing was the most casual thing to do." Kikyou replied.

"You are blocking the way. Move, or I will kill you to." Sesshoumaru stated dryly. Kikyou reluctantly moved out of his way. She didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble. Kikyou watched him as he retreated and left the place she was at.

"Kikyou-sama…" The woman whispered. Kikyou turned around to look at her.

"Yes?"

"My husband… He's dead isn't he?" The woman asked. Kikyou kneeled down next to the woman and checked the man's pulse. Kikyou gently put a hand where his heart was located to find that it wasn't beating.

"I'm afraid so." Kikyou replied; turning her gaze to the ground. The woman began to weep silently. "I'm sorry." Kikyou said after a while.

"It's not your fault. You tried your best to defend me, and I thank you for that." The woman said, smiling at Kikyou. "By the way, Kikyou-sama, who was that man? Did you know him?" The woman added.

"I don't know who he was." Kikyou lied.

"Oh, well I guess he was a good demon." The woman said. Kikyou looked at the woman oddly. "Well, he did save us."

"I doubt he did it to save us." Kikyou said. "By the way, you're children are waiting for you." Kikyou added.

"Huh?"

"Your children; they are the ones who informed me about you and your husband being in trouble." Kikyou replied.

"Ah, yes."

"Help me carry your husband to the village. That way he can be given a proper burial." Kikyou said.

"O-Okay." Both Kikyou and the woman carried the man all the way to the village. They took a long time, but they got there. When they got there, the children were already there, waiting for them. Kikyou left the mother and her children alone and once again went into the forest. She wanted to find Sesshoumaru. After a few minutes of searching she could sense his aura. She then found him standing alone; apparently looking at the moon.

"Sesshoumaru." She called out his name softly. Sesshoumaru turned around to face her.

"What do you want, miko?" He responded.

"I just wanted to thank you." Kikyou said.

"Don't be a fool. I already told you; I didn't do it to save you."

"I know, but I am still grateful." She said quietly. Sesshoumaru gave her an odd stare and then he spoke.

"Why would you be grateful to someone who didn't have the intention of saving you?" He asked. Kikyou did not reply to his question; instead she looked at what he had been looking at; the moon.

"You have been in this area for a long time." She stated dully.

"What of it?"

"May I ask why you are here?"

"It's none of your concern." He replied bluntly. "Miko, leave me be." He said after a moment of silence.

"Very well; I shall leave, but before I do, I'd like you to know that I have a name. And it's Kikyou." She said before turning around to leave.

"Hmmph. Foolish miko."

Kikyou then left him and went back to the village. It was still raining, but it wasn't raining as much as it was before. When she got back to her hut she entered it to find Kaede soundly sleeping. Kikyou quietly laid down to sleep.

* * *

A/N: And that was the eight chapter! Sorry for the long wait! I have been at a loss for words lately, so I guess I'll go now…. Sayonara! 


	9. Only Passing Through

A/N: I'm here with the ninth chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

"Kikyou, where were you last night?" Kaede asked Kikyou, who was standing up in the corner of the hut. Both she and Kaede had barely gotten up. "I was waiting until you came back, but I fell asleep." Kaede added sheepishly. Kikyou turned around and smiled a little at her younger sister.

"You don't have to wait for me, Kaede." Kikyou said.

"I know, but I feel strange sleeping all by myself. So, where were you last night?" Kaede asked.

"Exterminating a troublesome demon." Kikyou replied dully. "It attacked a married couple." She added.

"Are they alright?" Kaede asked.

"Unfortunately, the demon managed to kill the husband."

"His wife must be very sad." Kaede said.

"Yes…" Kikyou replied before heading outside. Kaede soon followed her.

"So, where are we going?" Kaede asked after a while.

"The father of an ill girl asked us to check on her and see if we can do anything to help her." Kikyou explained.

"Oh…" Kaede looked around and saw the damaged huts of the village and the villagers who were fixing them.

"Was the rain yesterday so bad?" Kaede said to herself.

"Yes, there was a storm at night while you were sleeping. I'm surprised that our hut managed to withstandsuch heavy rain." Kikyou said. Kaede looked a bit surprised. She wasn't expecting Kikyou to answer her question. The two sisters walked through the village in silence until Kikyou stopped to enter a hut.

'_This must be where that ill girl Kikyou mentioned lives_.' Kaede thought as she entered the hut.

"Kikyou-sama, you're here." A man inside greeted her. "My daughter is right here." The man added pointing towards a girl laying on a matt on the floor. The girl was young; she was probably about twelve years old. Her face was pale with sickness and she was sweating. Kikyou walked to her and kneeled next to her.

"Kikyou-sama…" The small girl whispered.

"Don't force yourself." Kikyou told her.

"I'm going to die, aren't I?" The girl asked sadly. Kaede watched the sick girl sadly as shesat next to Kikyou. Kaede then saw small traces of pity in Kikyou's mahogany eyes. Kikyou took a while before she responded.

"I don't know that, child…" She lied. Kikyou could tell just by looking at the girl that she did not have much longer to live, but Kikyou could not bring herself to tell the girl her cruel fate. '_Fate can be a cruel thing sometimes_.' Kikyou thought. Kaede looked down at the girl and she also felt pity for her.

'_Poor thing… She's so young, but she's slowly dying…'_ Kaede thought sadly.

'_There is nothing I can do for this girl…'_ Kikyou mused as she stood up. She went where the man was standing, which was far from where the girl laid.

"Kikyou-sama, is my daughter going to be okay?" He asked.

"I'm afraid there is nothing I can do for her. She doesn't have much time left." Kikyou told him. The man lowered his head.

"I see, thank you for coming Kikyou-sama." He said as he went to kneel down by his dying daughter. Kaede looked at Kikyou and saw that in her eyes she could see guilt. Kaede knew that Kikyou blamed herself for not being able to help.

"Let's go." Kikyou said before leaving the hut. As soon as they were out, Kikyou's sad gaze was replaced by her usual unreadable sight. Deciding not to ask her about it, Kaede insteadasked her something else.

"So, what are we going to do now?"

"I need to go check on Onigumo. Because of the demon yesterday, I could not go to him." Kikyou said. Kaede made a face of disgust at having to go to Onigumo again. "I know you don't like him, Kaede, but I must do this."

"I-it's okay, onee-sama." Kaede stammered; she was embarrassed that Kikyou saw the face she made. They walked in silence until Kaede spoke. "Onee-sama, do you like being a miko?" Kaede asked. She was curious. Kikyou was about to respond, but a loud, shrill scream stopped her.

"Ahhhhhhhhh! A demon!"

"Onee-sama?" Kaede said.

"Kaede, go to Onigumo's cave and tend to his wounds. I'll be there as soon as I can." Kikyou instructed her.

"All right." Kaede replied. She was a bit disappointed, but she knew her elder sister had to leave to purify the demon. Kaede watched as Kikyou ran to where the scream came from. After watching Kikyou's retreating form, she resumed walking towards the cave. '_I hope onee-sama will be okay, but why should I be worried? Kikyou can take care of herself, right?_

_-------------------------------------------------------_

Kikyou ran towards the scream she had heard. She ran until she had found the source of the scream. It was a young girl. The young girl saw Kikyou and ran hastily towards her.

"Kikyou-sama, a demon was here!" The young girl told Kikyou.

"Where did it go?" Kikyou asked calmly.

"Over there!" The girl pointed towards a cluster of trees. Kikyou walked calmly toward the spot where the young girl had indicated. The young girl then ran towards the village, leaving Kikyou alone. Kikyou didn't mind, though. She then caught a powerful demonic aura that she was all too familiar with. She then saw him walking gracefully with his little green imp.

"So it is him." Kikyou said to herself. Kikyou followed him until she was behind him. "Demon." Sesshoumaru slightly turned his head. Jaken turned around completely.

'_Oh no, it's that miko again_.' Jaken thought worriedly.

"Miko." He replied.

"What were you doing?" She asked forcefully.

"I was merely passing through." He replied dryly.

"Then why did that girl scream?" She asked him skeptically.

"Don't question my lord!" Jaken yelled at Kikyou, but neither Sesshoumaru nor Kikyou paid any attention to what he said.

"I didn't hurt the human, if that's what you're thinking. I already told you I was only passing through." He replied coldly.

"Then she only screamed because she was afraid of you?" Sesshoumaru didn't respond.

"Who wouldn't fear Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken spoke his thought. Jaken's comment got him a painful kick to the head by Sesshoumaru. "Ow…" Jaken said hurtfully.

------------------------------------

Kaede had barely arrived at the cave when Onigumo spoke.

"Kikyou, is that you?" Onigumo said.

"No, I'm Kaede." Kaede replied.

"Oh, you're the kid." Onigumo said as Kaede approached him. She went where Kikyou normally kept the herbs and gruel she fed him. Onigumo looked disappointed that she wasn't Kikyou. There was complete silence until Onigumo spoke.

"Hey, girl…" Onigumo began.

"I have a name, and just in case you forgot, it's Kaede." Kaede said angrily.

"Where's your sister?" Onigumo ignored her comment.

"She's busy fighting a demon."

"Oh, I see. Hey, she's got the Shikon no Tama, doesn't she?" He asked. Kaede turned to look at him strangely.

"You know?" She asked.

"Yeah, I've heard rumors about it. Many evil men and demons are after it to become stronger." He explained.

"I guess you must have been after it, too." Kaede said.

"I also heard that it can become more evil when it absorbs hateful blood. It would be great if it became evil."

"It can't. Kikyou won't let that happen. It won't become tainted as long as she's purifying it." Kaede assured him.

"Yeah, Kikyou sure is a pure woman. The thought of her being sullied by evil gives me shivers of pleasure." He said. Kaede glared at him. "Heh heh heh." He laughed.

'_How dare he say that about onee-sama_!' Kaede thought furiously. As soon as she finished feeding him and tending to his wounds she left to find Kikyou. She wanted to tell her what he had said.

-----------------------------------------

"Onee-sama!" Sesshoumaru,Kikyou, and Jaken turned to see Kaede run straight towards Kikyou.

"Kaede, what are you doing here? Did you already go to Onigumo?" Kikyou asked.

'_Oh, it's that little girl who follows the miko everywhere she goes._' Jaken mused.

"Yes, onee-sama! But I have to tell you what Onigumo said!" Kaede panted; the run to Kikyou had tired her. Kaede didn't seem to notice Sesshoumaru standing near them.

"Kaede-" Kikyou was about to tell Kaede to wait, but Kaede interrupted her. She seemed anxious to tell Kikyou about Onigumo.

"He wants the Shikon no Tama! He also said that the thought of you being defiled by evil gave him 'shivers of pleasure'. Kikyou, I don't like that man." Kaede said all in one breath. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at what Kaede said before leaving. Kikyou turned to stare at his back. It was then Kaede noticed he was there the whole time. Jaken then noticed that Sesshoumaru had left and Jaken started trotting after him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, wait for me!" Jaken called out.

"I'm sorry onee-sama!" Kaede apologized.

"It's okay, Kaede. You don't need to apologize." Kikyou assured her.

"Onee-sama, I don't like Onigumo."

"I know what he said disturbs you, but you must forgive him." Kikyou said.

"Doesn't it disturb you?" Kaede asked. For a moment Kikyou remained silent. She didn't know what to say to her. It did disgust her a little bit, but she already knew Onigumo's twisted feelings for her.

"A little." Kikyou responded after a while. Kaede didn't ask Kikyou anything more about that subject and instead asked about Sesshoumaru.

"Onee-sama, was that demon causing trouble?"

"Supposedly, he was only walking through when the girl screamed. She must have been afraid he would attack her since he is a demon." Kikyou explained.

'_But don't demons attack humans_?' Kaede thought. '_I guess he's the sort of demon who doesn't care for anybody; the type that will only kill you if you are in his way_.'

"Let's go back to the village." Kikyou said as she started walking. Kaede followed her older sister. They soon got there and started doing their daily tasks. For Kikyou, it was to protect the Shikon no Tama from demons and care for the villagers.

-----------------------------

As sunset came, Kikyou and Kaede were finished with what they had to do. They were heading towards their home. They passed through talking villagers, but Kikyou never really paid attention to what the villagers said, but one particular conversation caught her attention. It was a group of samurai that were talking.

"Hey, Ichiro have you ever heard of the supposedly great dog-demon lord who ruled over the west?" One of the samurai said.

'_Dog demon? Isn't that what that demon, Sesshoumaru, is? Could that be him they're talking about_?' Kikyou thought as she stood near them. Kaede appeared confused at why Kikyou had stopped so suddenly, but she didn't question her.

"You mean that one demon that died protecting a human woman?" One of the other samurai replied.

"Yeah, that's the one! They say he was one of the strongest demons ever known. I wonder just how strong he was…" the samurai said.

'_No, that can't be Sesshoumaru. He's still alive and he doesn't seem like the type who would die to protect a human_.' Kikyou reasoned. Kikyou was about to leave, but she stopped once again.

"I heard he had two sons. One of them is a half breed! Inuyasha, I think his name is." Another samurai said.

"What about the other?"

"The other is a full demon. He's the Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru. They say he's really strong and that he hates his half breed brother, Inuyasha." The samurai explained.

'_Lord of the Western Lands? That's probably why I've heard of his name. But what is he doing so far east then?'_ Kikyou thought. Kaede heard what the samurai said and soon understood why her sister had stopped.

"Who doesn't hate a half breed?" One of the samurai said harshly before laughing. The other samurai joined in the laughter. Kikyou looked at them while they laughed at their cruel joke. She didn't understand why people hated half demons so much. They were living beings, too. After they stopped laughing, they noticed Kikyou standing there about to leave. Before they could say anything, Kikyou left; Kaede following behind her.

"That Kikyou, she sure is beautiful." A samurai said.

"Yeah, I wish I could make her mine." Another said.

"But you already got a wife." One of the younger samurai said.

"So?" A choir of laughter soon erupted. Kaede glared at them; she had heard what they had said about Kikyou. '_Disgusting_.' Kaede thought to herself.

A/N: Well, there you go, the ninth chapter. I hope you liked it. Sorry for the wait, I've been feeling gloomy lately. Probably because I've been watching movies with tragic endings. And I've been hearing Moonlight Sonata a lot. That song makes me get depressed. I swear I use to be a bundle of sunshine… Hopefully it will go away soon; I can already feel my usual giddy self returning. Damn, no more Tragic Movie Marathon for me…


	10. White Against the Night Sky

A/N: I'm so sorry! I haven't updated in such a long time! I am so very sorry! Ahem, um, anyways, here's the tenth chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Unexpected Encounters

Chapter Ten

* * *

Kikyou laid on the mat on the floor next to Kaede. Kaede was soundly sleeping, but Kikyou wasn't. It was just like every night; she would lie down, but sleep never came to her. Kikyou sat up on the mat and began to ponder. 

'_So, Sesshoumaru is the lord of the western lands… I never imagined he'd be such an important person, but that does explain why he harbors such extraordinary power.._' She thought as she listened to the rain pouring outside. She sighed as she silently stood up from her sitting position. Kikyou quietly walked and got out of the small hut she and Kaede live in. Kaede opened her eyes a bit and noticed her sister's retreating back. Kaede frowned, but did not say anything.

'_Where can she be going? It's very late…_' Kaede wondered.

Kikyou walked through the small village, noticing how peaceful it was at dawn. The heavy rain was starting to get lighter and lighter until it was only sprinkling. The sprinkling soon stopped. Kikyou then got to the outskirts of the village and then she was in the dense vegetation of the lush forest. Kikyou sat herself on the back of a tree. She closed her eyes lightly trying to sleep, but it was futile.

"I know you're there demon, you might as well get out of wherever you are hiding." Kikyou said all of a sudden. Sesshoumaru then stepped out into where Kikyou was. Her eyes were closed, but she was well aware of his presence. His strong demonic aura was unmistakable.

"I see you can sense my presence quite easily." Sesshoumaru told her. His monochromatic white clothing stood out of the darkness of the night. Kikyou's white skin also stood out, as well as her white haori. Sesshoumaru stared at her with an unreadable expression as always. Kikyou opened her eyes and stared at him back, also with an unreadable expression on her face. Kikyou then let out a small almost inaudible laugh.

"What?" Sesshoumaru questioned her. Kikyou then smirked at him. Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow at her strange behavior.

"We are the same, you and I." Kikyou replied coldly. Sesshoumaru gave her an odd glare.

"How is that?" He said with the same amount of coldness as her. Kikyou stood up and then spoke.

"We are both cold and emotionless. Don't you think?" Kikyou asked him.

"Hmmph." Sesshoumaru replied. Kikyou turned around to look at the tree behind her as Sesshoumaru stared. "What are you doing, miko?" He asked her.

"I'm merely looking at this tree." Kikyou replied, still turned towards the tree. The tree she was in front of was Goshinboku. Kikyou then turned around to face Sesshoumaru.

"May I ask what are you doing? What's your purpose for being here?" Kikyou asked him. She looked at him straight in the eye without hesitation.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes.

"It's none of your concern." He responded. Kikyou didn't bother him with that question again; instead she turned her gaze up to the sky.

"I heard some samurai talking about you…" Kikyou told him, keeping her eyesight at the sky. Sesshoumaru merely stood standing there waiting for her to continue. "They said you were the son of the great Inu no Taisho…" She added.

"What of it?" Sesshoumaru said; almost annoyed. He hated when anybody brought up the subject of his father.

"They said he died… protecting a human woman." Kikyou told him. Kikyou looked at Sesshoumaru again, waiting to see his reaction.

"Why are you telling me things that I already know?" Sesshoumaru asked her. It was annoying him a bit. Kikyou merely started again.

"They also said that you have a half-brother. Inuyasha, I think his name was." Kikyou said. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in disgust at the mention of his half-brother's name. "So, you do hate him?" Kikyou asked him; noticing his look of distaste.

"Why do you care if I hate him or not?" Sesshoumaru replied icily.

"I just wanted to see if what the samurai said was true." Kikyou responded bluntly. She was actually just curious about it. She didn't understand how someone can hate their sibling, and by Sesshoumaru's reaction to the mention of his younger brother's name, Kikyou could tell that Sesshoumaru detested his younger brother quite a lot. She wondered if this so-called Inuyasha hated Sesshoumaru as much as Sesshoumaru hated him. Kikyou could never imagine hating her younger sister, Kaede. "Why do you hate him?" Kikyou asked him after a long period of silence between them. Sesshoumaru didn't reply for a moment.

"It's none of your business." Sesshoumaru said. Kikyou frowned and sighed. It was impossible to get anything out of him. He was such an enigma.

"I guess it isn't any of my business." Kikyou replied. Although Sesshoumaru said nothing to suggest the feeling, he was a bit glad she wasn't the persistent type. Kikyou once again redirected her gaze to the night sky. There was another long period of silence. Kikyou decided that trying to ask him more questions would be useless. It's not like he'd answer any of them anyway.

"You have a sibling as well, don't you?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kikyou looked surprised; it was usually her who asked most of the questions.

"Yes. I have a younger sister. Why do you ask?" She responded.

"I was just curious." Sesshoumaru told her. Kikyou doubted that for some reason. Kikyou then remembered Kaede and how she had left the hut.

'_Kaede might have already woken up… I should go back_.' Kikyou thought as she started walking out. She stopped and said, "It is about time I leave, farewell." Kikyou said as she began walking once more. Sesshoumaru watched her carefully as she left. She was walking slowly; gracefully. Sesshoumaru then also turned the opposite direction and began walking. As soon as he took a step forward Jaken came out from behind a tree from where Sesshoumaru and Kikyou were speaking.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! That woman is so nosy! How dare she ask you about your personal life! How disrespectful! And how dare she imply that you and she are the same! She is a human and you are demon! You're complete opposites!" Jaken exclaimed frantically.

"Jaken." Sesshoumaru said Jaken's name. Jaken stopped and looked at his lord.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Sesshoumaru asked Jaken calmly. Jaken began sweating uncontrollably.

'_Oh no… I'm gonna get it now…_' Jaken thought nervously. "Um, uh… I-I was merely trying to find you w-when I stumbled upon your conversation with the miko, Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken stuttered. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at Jaken and then stepped on Jaken, continuing on his way. '_Ugh… what did I ever do to deserve this?_' Jaken thought painfully.

'_So, the miko thinks we're alike, does she?_' Sesshoumaru thought, remembering Kikyou's words. Sesshoumaru smirked at her words, as he continued at his slow pace.

* * *

Kikyou was already near her hut. She walked to it and went inside to find Kaede still there. Kaede heard her sister come in, but decided to pretend she was still sleeping. Kikyou sat on the mat and began thinking about her encounter with the cold demon lord. 

'_He refuses to talk about anything. He is so stubborn._' Kikyou mused. "But then again, I must be as stubborn as he is. After all, we're both alike in many ways." Kikyou said aloud.

'_Is she talking about that demon, Sesshoumaru? Could she have met up with him again?_' Kaede thought as she listened to her older sister talk. Kikyou the lied down on the mat and closed her eyes, and fell into an uneasy slumber. Kaede sat up and looked at Kikyou's sleeping form. '_Onee-sama…_ _Why has she been thinking about him so much these past days…?'_ Kaede wondered.

"Kaede…What are you doing up…?" Kikyou asked as she opened her eyes. She had woken up.

"Um, uh, nothing…" Kaede replied.

"Are you sure?" Kikyou asked.

"Well, um…" Kaede was about to ask her about Sesshoumaru, but decided against it. "No, it's nothing. I just woke up, that's all." Kaede added. Kikyou doubted her answer.

"Is there something troubling you, Kaede?" Kikyou asked once more. Kaede shook her head gently.

"Nope, nothing." Kaede said, trying to assure Kikyou that noting was wrong. Kikyou only nodded and spoke again.

"Well, if you say so, but if you have something to tell me, Kaede, you can tell me." Kikyou said. Kaede nodded and lied back down on the mat.

"It's alright, onee-sama, nothing's wrong." Kaede said before falling asleep again. Kikyou looked at Kaede.

'_I wonder if she saw me head out…_' Kikyou thought before she, too, fell asleep soundly.

A/N: I can never apologize enough! I was going to update sooner, but yeah… I'll try to update faster now! I'll try my hardest! Um, anyways, I hoped you liked this chapter… It was very hard to write. Please review! Reviews give me inspiration!


	11. None of Your Business

A/N: Here's the eleventh chapter! I had to practically force myself to write this chapter today… But because I'm so generous (cough, cough) I decided to update today. Yay me…

Disclaimer: Do I really have to do this… I'm starting to hate doing this… After this chapter, this will be the last disclaimer. This disclaimer will now count for the whole story! Anyways, I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

**Unexpected Encounter**

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Kikyou and Kaede were now up and getting ready to travel to another village. A messenger from the other village had come to ask for Kikyou's help. Apparently, a demon was disturbing the village's peace, and they were asking her to get rid of the demon for them. Kikyou, being selfless and kind when it came to helping others, accepted the task and was now getting ready for her departure. She didn't really enjoy the tedious task of purifying demons, but she did it anyway. Although Kaede was helping Kikyou get ready, she herself was not going with Kikyou. Kikyou had suggested she stay in their village and take care of their daily routine. Kaede had protested, but in the end, she had accepted Kikyou's suggestion.

"Kaede, you understand what to do here, right?" Kikyou asked as she slung her quiver over her back casually.

"Yes, Kikyou, I understand." Kaede replied as she handed Kikyou her bow. Compared to Kaede, Kikyou's bow was very long. Kaede sometimes wondered how she could use such a long bow so effectively. But Kikyou was a master archer, after all.

"Good. I will try to be back as soon as I can." Kikyou promised Kaede. Kaede smiled and nodded at her older sister. They then exited their hut and Kaede spoke up.

"Kikyou, be careful on your way, alright?" Kaede told Kikyou. Kikyou smiled a little bit as she looked at her little sister.

"Don't worry Kaede, I'll be fine." Kikyou assured her. Kikyou then bid farewell to Kaede and began heading towards the other village. The village wasn't too far from where Kikyou and Kaede lived. It was about an hour or so away. Kikyou walked out of the village and was now in the surrounding forest. As Kikyou walked through the dense forest, she heard the sound of the rustling of clothing nearby. Kikyou turned around to be met by the piercing glare of Tsubaki.

"Good day, Kikyou." Tsubaki said with a smug smile on her face. Kikyou glared back at Tsubaki. She didn't was the last person she wanted to see.

"What do you want?" Kikyou asked her coldly. Tsubaki walked closer towards Kikyou.

"So, Kikyou, have you met a man who has caught your interest?" Tsubaki asked Kikyou tauntingly. Kikyou didn't even bother to answer Tsubaki's question. She knew Tsubaki was asking her that to annoy her.

"Aren't you going to answer me, Kikyou? That's very rude. You should speak when spoken to." Tsubaki added.

"Are you waiting for me to fall in love just so your curse can take effect, Tsubaki? Are you waiting for me to meet my demise just so you can be the better miko?" Kikyou asked Tsubaki in a bitter tone of voice. Tsubaki narrowed her eyes at the miko in front of her. She did not like the way Kikyou said that; it sounded like an insult.

"Nothing can get by you, can it, Kikyou?" Tsubaki said; her voice laced with hatred. Kikyou once again did not respond. She merely stood where she was while glaring at Tsubaki. "You have so much pride…" Tsubaki told Kikyou.

"If you don't mind, I have to get going." Kikyou said bluntly. Kikyou began to leave. Tsubaki didn't say anything as she watched Kikyou gracefully leave.

'_Humph. She thinks she's so great. But one day, she'll fall for a man, and then, my curse will take effect. But I wish for her end to be sooner..._' Tsubaki smirked as she thought about the great miko Kikyou meeting her end. She then thought of something and she laughed cruelly. Whatever she had thought of, it was not a good thing. Kikyou paid no heed to Tsubaki as she continued on her way through the forest. Kikyouglanced back where Tsubaki was to find that she was not there anymore.

'_How strange… She disappeared…_' Kikyou thought as she looked around. Once Kikyou saw Tsubaki was completely gone, she began to walk in her slow pace again.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was standing in the middle of the dark forest with Jaken sitting down behind him. Jaken appeared to be exhausted; he was panting loudly. _'There sure was a lot of demons. They were quite troublesome._' Jaken mused. Just that morning, Jaken and Sesshoumaru were ambushed by a lot of demons; of course, Sesshoumaru took care of them by slaying all of them with his claws. Jaken helped too, but Sesshoumaru destroyed most of them. Jaken watched Sesshoumaru tiredly ashe suddenly looked straight ahead of him. "What's wrong Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked the tall demon in front of him.

"The miko…" Sesshoumaru said more to himself than to Jaken. Jaken's eyes widened considerably.

'_The miko, she is here? But we are far away from the village which she resides in._' Jaken thought as he looked into the distance; trying to find any signs of Kikyou's conspicuous red and white attire and her white, pale face. But Jaken found no signs of her. Sesshoumaru turned to his right and stood next to a tree. Jaken did the same and he now saw Kikyou. She was walking slowly with her quiver slung on her shoulder and her bow in hand.

'_There is another scent in the air…_' Sesshoumaru thought as he watched Kikyou closely. '_Can it be the scent of the child who's Kikyou's sister? No, her scent is different._' Sesshoumaru ruminated in his mind. His thoughts were interrupted when two snakes suddenly flew out of nowhere, which were heading towards Kikyou at high speeds. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened for a split second before they returned to their usual deadpan stare. '_Those snakes, there is no way she can dodge them._' Sesshoumaru, however, was wrong. Kikyou rapidly turned around and used her bow to deflect them at Tsubaki, who had been the one who had sent them to harm Kikyou. Tsubaki let out a shrill scream as the demons hit her with full-force on her eye.She covered her eye as she goaned. She had never felt such horrible pain before.

"You bitch! What did you do to me?" She yelled at Kikyou, who seemed unaffected by Tsubaki's harsh insult. Sesshoumaru stared at the scene before him in surprise. He had underestimated Kikyou once again.

"I merely returned your attack back at you." Kikyou said coldly. "Now that scar will be on you for the rest of your pitiful life." Kikyou added cruelly as she watched Tsubaki's expression. Her expression was that of horror and extreme hatred.

"Scar?" She yelled. Tsubaki always cared about how she looked, and always thought of herself as the most beautiful. Now, she had an ugly scar on her face that resembled the scales of a snake. It fit her perfectly. Tsubaki hurriedly left while covering her marred face.

'_That little bitch! She'll pay for this! I swear she will!_' Tsubaki thought furiously while she ran away from Kikyou. Kikyou said nothing as she watched Tsubaki leave. Kikyou turned her vision towards the tree Sesshoumaru was standing next to.

"Sesshoumaru." She said his name. Sesshoumaru stepped out from in back of the tree;he was now facing Kikyou. "I suppose you saw all of that…" Kikyou said placidly.

"I wasn't expecting you to be able to react so quickly to the attack." Sesshoumaru commented.

"I was expecting something like that from her. It wasn't hard to sense her shikigami coming at me, either." Kikyou explained. "You knew they were coming at me, didn't you? I could have been the one with the scar." She added.

"I only saw the shikigami moments before they attacked you. It's not like I could do anything to help you. And besides, why would I waste my time saving you?" Sesshoumaru said coldly. Kikyou smiled a bit. Her smile was genuine, but it was a little sad.

"If so, why are you wasting your time talking to me?" Kikyou asked him; still smiling. Sesshoumaru was taken aback by both her smile and her question. This was the first time she had smiled at him like that. Sesshoumaru turned his head away. For the first time in his life, he sincerely did not know what to say. He wasn't going to admit it out loud, though. Jaken stared wide-eyed at his lord. This was the first time he had ever seen Sesshoumaru at a loss for words. Kikyou, who was just standing there, began to leave again.

"Where are you going?" Sesshoumaru asked her when he saw she was leaving.

Kikyou, still smiling a little bit, said, "Hm? That's strange of you to ask. But, 'it's none of your business'." She said, quoting him from the night before. Sesshoumaru stared at her hardly.

'_Is she mocking me?_' (A/N: Yes. Sorry I just felt like putting that there.) Sesshoumaru asked himself. Jaken then jumped out frombehind thetree he was hiding behindand began yelling at Kikyou.

"How dare you! How dare you mock the great Sesshoumaru-sama! You forget your place, miko!" Jaken obnoxiously yelled. Kikyou glared daggers at the annoying little toad. Jaken immediately shut up and gulped when he saw Kikyou glaring at him. He was afraid she'd purify him. Jaken stepped back to hide behind Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru remained silent as did Kikyou. Kikyou didn't know what else to say. They both stared at each other in complete silence. The silence, however, did not bother them. The silence was then finally broken by Kikyou.

"I must go now, farewell." She said. Kikyou turned, but before she began on her way, she said, "If you must know, I'm leaving to slay a demon." She then continued on her way to the village. Sesshoumaru stood there awhile before following her. Kikyou sensed him following her and turned to face him. '_Why is he following me?_' She thought. She asked him, but he didn't reply. He merely continued following her.

Sesshoumaru looked at the back of the small, pretty creature in front of him. He wasn't really sure why he was following her. He supposed it was his instinct that was telling him to follow the pretty miko; he wasn't certain why he listened to it. He almost never listened to his instinct.

Kikyou stared back behind her every so often to see if the grand demon lord was still following her. Every time she looked back, she would find that he was still there. For some reason, she was glad someone was accompanying her. She didn't feel as lonely…

* * *

A/N: Hehe, it looks like Sesshy and Kikeh are starting to warm up to each other.-I hope you liked the chapter! I've sorta been uninspired lately… You know what would get me inspired? Reviews! Those will help me update faster! Please people, review! Anyways, hasta la vista!


	12. A Smile Amid the Blood

**Author's Note:** Since I have nothing better to do today than watch TV (It's way too hot to go outside.), I decided to update this story today. Yay for me… Oh, how I hate summer. It's so boring...

--------

**Unexpected Encounters**

**Chapter 12**

**---------**

Kikyou was still on her way to the village and Sesshoumaru was still following behind her. Kikyou didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable even though he was following her. Jaken, who had been with Sesshoumaru earlier, had decided to stay behind. He just didn't understand his lord's actions anymore. He was even harder to try and understand than before.

Kikyou was surprised that no demons had tried to attack her so far. Usually, they would come at her blindly and try to kill her. But not that day. It was quite tranquil. Perhaps it was because of Sesshoumaru. The demons could probably sense his powerful demonic aura, and decided to stay away from him. That was what Kikyou thought, anyway.

On the horizon, the pair could now see what appeared to be the outline of a village. They were close, and in a few minutes, they'd be there. Kikyou wondered if Sesshoumaru was going to continue following her all the way to the village. She knew the villagers would get uneasy if they saw him. She personally didn't care about what the villagers thought, but she knew they would cause a fuss about it. She sighed inwardly at the tough of it.

Sesshoumaru knew that if he appeared with her in the village they were nearing, the humans that resided there would make a commotion, and he sincerely didn't want to deal with humans. The only human he could deal with was Kikyou. He didn't know why only her, but it was probably because she was different from the other humans he had the misfortune to come across. He forced himself to believing that was the only reason, but in the way back of his mind, he doubted that was the only cause. He didn't know what the other reason was, but he didn't dwell on the answer. He, like every other feeling he felt, kept it in the back of his mind.

Kikyou then felt Sesshoumaru's aura dissipate and she looked in back of her to find him gone. Kikyou frowned a bit, but continued on her way. '_So, he has left? It was to be expected. He dislikes humans and he probably would hate to go to a place that was populated by them.'_ Kikyou mused. She was a little disappointed that he had left, but she focused instead at the matter at hand, which was currently to go to the village and defeat the demon that was bothering them.

"Miko-sama!" A young boy of about twelve years of age called out to Kikyou. She was a bit shocked to hear someone call out to her so suddenly. She looked forward and saw him running towards her. Her mind was too preoccupied with Sesshoumaru that she had not noticed the boy.

"Yes?" Kikyou asked him as the boy stopped in from of her.

"You are Kikyou-sama, right?" He asked. Kikyou nodded and he grabbed her hand and led her to the village. "We're so glad you came, Kikyou-sama! The demon keeps killing villagers. We are so lucky you live close to this village." The boy added.

"I'm glad to help." Kikyou said as she smiled faintly. The boy accompanied her all the way to the village. When she got there, she was met by the village headman.

"Kikyou-sama, you are here." The headman said. Kikyou nodded and continued to listen to the headman. "The demon only attacks at night, and as you can see, it is still day. Oh, and it seems to only attack pretty young girls, so be careful. Until night, feel free to do whatever you may wish." He explained.

"I understand, and thank you for your hospitality, headman." Kikyou said as she bowed respectfully.

"No, thank you, for helping us. We wouldn't know what to do if you hadn't come, Kikyou-sama." The headman replied. Kikyou bowed once again and left to do whatever she wished for the rest if the day. She decided to stay with the children of the village. For the rest of the day, she had forgotten about Sesshoumaru and enjoyed herself.

----**At Night-----**

It was night and Kikyou was standing up in front of the village in a protective stance. She was completely alone in the darkness of the night. She was alone once again, and she felt empty. Whenever she was alone, she felt likeempty.She then started to think about Sesshoumaru and how he had left. She tried to stop herself, but she couldn't stop thinking about him. Like Sesshoumaru, she tried to keep it in the back of her head, but she couldn't.

Kikyou could not focus on the task she was supposed to be doing, which was to keep an eye out for the demon that terrorized the villagers. She closed her eyes for a second and sighed. Then she was abruptly pulled out of her thoughts when she was suddenly grabbed roughly. Her eyes widened considerably as she stared up at her attacker's face. It was the face of a demon that was very large. It was also very hideous.

The demon smirked at Kikyou and then said, "Well, look what we have here; a pretty little miko. I've never tasted the flesh of a miko before, especially as one as beautiful as you." Kikyou flinched when the demon ran down one of its claws down her cheek, marring her white, fair skin.

"Let go of me, demon!" Kikyou yelled at it as she struggled against its vice-like grip. The demon laughed cruelly as he watched Kikyou struggle. She was about to use her purifying powers when a blur of white slashed the demon's arm off. Kikyou was falling when the same blur of white that slashed the demon's arm caught her in his arms. She noticed that her rescuer was none other than Sesshoumaru. She looked at him; her eyes weredilated.

"My Arm!" The demon yelped in pain as it watched its bleeding stump of an arm. "You bastard! How dare you take my arm and my prey!" He said; pointing to Kikyou when he said 'prey'. Kikyou looked at the demon disgustedly. The demon lunged at Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. "Give her back to me!" Sesshoumaru put Kikyou down on the floor.

"Miko, get out of the way." He ordered her calmly. She got out of his way and grabbed her bow and arrows that she had dropped on the ground. Sesshoumaru slashed the demon again with his claws and Kikyou aimed an arrow at it; instantly killing it. She watched as the demon hit the ground and disintegrated into nothing.

Sesshoumaru looked back at Kikyou and noticed the deeplaceration on her cheek. Although, she did not show it, it was clear that the cut on her cheek did hurt. Sesshoumaru walked closer to her.

"You are hurt." He stated.

"It's nothing. It is merely a scratch." She replied. He knew that it was more than just a scratch. '_How could I have been so careless...?_' Kikyou thought. She was holding her cheek, trying to stop the blood from spilling.

"Kikyou-sama!" The headman called. He was followed by a few samurai who were behind him. The headman neared Kikyou and she looked at him. "Kikyou-sama, are you alright? And the demon? What happened to it?" He said. The headman then noticed Sesshoumaru standing near Kikyou. "Who is that man?" He whispered to Kikyou.

"I'm fine and the demon is gone. That man…" Kikyou paused for a second. "He… rescued me from the demon." Kikyou said. She knew thatSesshoumaru's intentions were probably not to save her. Sesshoumaru began to walk away when he saw the villagers that were coming en masse to see what the entire ruckus was about.

"Wait, where are you going?" The headman asked the retreating Sesshoumaru, but he ignored the headman.

"Headman, now that the job is done, I would like to leave. I have a younger sister, and I am starting to worry about her." Kikyou said.

"Wouldn't you like us to treat your wound, Kikyou-sama?" He asked.

"No, it's alright. I'll take care of it myself." Kikyou replied. The headman let Kikyou go. The villagers all watched as Kikyou left.

Once Kikyou was in the forest, she was met by Sesshoumaru. '_Was he waiting for me?_' She wondered. "Sesshoumaru… I would like to thank you." She told him. She waited for him to tell her that his intentions were not to save her, but amazingly he didn't say anything. He just remained silent and looked at her with his normal deadpan stare.

"Miko, what's wrong with you?" He said all of a sudden. "Why did you let your guard down? That was afoolish thing to do." He added in his monotone. It almost sounded like he was scolding her. Kikyou smiled; this time, however, it wasn't a sad smile, it was a genuine happy smile. "Why are you smiling?" He asked her.

"No reason." Kikyou replied curtly.

"The gash on your face; aren't you going to treat it?" He asked her. His tone of voice was still cold and emotionless, but it was a lot softer from when he had first met her.

"I'll do it later." She answered him. Her voice also had gotten softer. "I have to get back home." She said as she walked back in the direction in which she had come to the village. Sesshoumaru followed her.

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**A/N: **Well, there you go the twelfth chapter. I'm probably going to update my other story tomorrow (That is, if I get enough reviews. Yes, I know, I'm evil.). Reviews would be very nice! Adios!


	13. Not Just Another Human

**--**

_**Unexpected Encounters**_

_**Chapter 13**_

_**--**_

"Kikyou, you're back?" Kaede said as she saw her elder sister walk through the entrance into their shabby hut.

Kikyou looked up to see Kaede sitting cross-legged on the matt on the floor. Kikyou had hoped that she would have been asleep; that way she wouldn't have to explain the incident that occurred earlier.

"Yes, I am." Kikyou replied with a small smile adorning her face. However, Kaede noticed the bleeding wound on her sister's usually unmarked skin of her face.

"Kikyou, are you okay? That wound on your face!" Kaede gasped.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." Kikyou tried to assure her, but it would be of no use; Kaede would surely demand what had happened.

"Onee-sama, please tell me what happened!" Kaede shouted. She was concerned about her elder sister's well-being and she knew that the slash on her sister's cheek was not anything; she knew it was something.

"I just had a little trouble slaying a demon, that's all. You don't have to worry, Kaede. I'm quite fine." Kikyou explained. This seemed to have pacified Kaede a little bit, but she was still a little concerned.

"Alright, if you say so, Onee-sama…" Kaede said as she watched Kikyou reach for some herbs that were on a basket on the floor.

"I see you collected herbs during my absence. May I use these to treat my wound?" Kikyou inquired. Kaede nodded as she watched her sister. Kikyou smiled softly before she moved her hand towards the basket holding the herbs.

Kikyou also grabbed a cloth that was on the floor and put it against the cut. She seemed to be wiping off the excess blood from her face. She then put one of the herbs against her wound. Kikyou winced a little as the cool, green herb made contact with her damaged skin.

Kaede looked worriedly at her sister. Kikyou forced herself to smile through the pain she was feeling; she wanted to assure Kaede that everything was fine.

"Now, how about we go to sleep, hmm?" Kikyou said as she laid down on the matt. Kaede nodded and did the same as Kikyou.

Kikyou sighed as she pondered on the incident. She couldn't believe she had let her guard down like that, and it was all because she couldn't take her mind off of _him._

She wanted to hate him; that way she wouldn't care about him. But she couldn't hate him; she could never hate him, not anymore.

--

Sesshoumaru looked at the small, tattered hut he had seenher go into. He never imagined that she would live in such a small, shabby place. Most miko lived in shrines with priests, but she didn't. She really was odd.

At least she was different from other humans. She was not like them; humans were selfish and greedy creatures, but she was not like that. She was the exact opposite of humans; she was kind and generous, and helped others rather than helping herself.

Sesshoumaru concluded that she was not human. He knew that she couldn't be a demon either; she was too kind to be one. The only thing she could be was an angel.

What he was thinking was illogical. She bore the scent of a human, and she could not be an angel. Surely an angel would not have the scent of a human. But then again, her scent was also heavenly; she smelled of lilacs and lavenders.

Her appearance was also not human. She was heavenly in every way; from her lovely countenance, to her small, slender frame.

Then a thought entered his mind: Why was he even thinking about her?

He was the great demon Sesshoumaru; he hated humans. They were inferior in every way, and _she_ was no different. At least that's what he forced himself to believe.

He wanted to believe she was just another ignorant human; that she was inferior to him, but he couldn't. She was not just another ignorant human woman that he happened to come across; she was the beautiful, kind, intelligent miko Kikyou, and she certainly was not just another human.

Once again, he berated himself for his stupidity. Wait, since when did he ever consider himself doing something stupid?

'_What is this woman doing to me?'_ Sesshoumaru wondered to himself.

--

Kikyou woke up to the fresh air of the morning. She hadn't slept much, but it was something. Kikyou got up and peered outside and noticed There were no people outside besides herself; at least that's what she had thought until Sesshoumaru suddenly appeared in front of her. His body was only centimeters apart from hers

Kikyou wanted to yelp, but she caught herself before she could. She stepped back a little to put some space between them.

"Sesshoumaru, what are you doing here?" She whispered her question. She was not expecting the tall, regal demon to appear at her little home's door. Kikyou turned to see if Kaede was still asleep. She was relieved to see Kaede soundly sleeping.

Kikyou waited for him to reply, but he never did; instead, he remained standing in the same spot.

"Kikyou-sama!" Children's voices called. That's when Kaede woke up. She only saw a glimpse of Sesshoumaru before he disappeared; Kaede sat up abruptly out of alert.

"Was that a demon?" Kaede asked. Kikyou turned around to look at her sister.

Kikyou was about to reply, but she was interrupted by the voices of children. "Kikyou-sama, can you play with us?" one of the children said. They were now all in front of Kikyou.

Kikyou smiled and replied, "Yes, of course." She then turned to Kaede and voiced a 'I'll tell you later.'. Kaede nodded and watched as the small youth took Kikyou's slender hands in their own tender ones and gently pulled her with them.

Sesshoumaru watched Kikyou's petite form as she held the hands of the children. He had reappeared in front of Kikyou's hut once again. Sesshoumaru wasn't sure what had driven him to do what he just committed. Hell, he wasn't sure what the point was of getting so close to her. Then, the thought dawned on him: He had been only centimeters apart from a human. If it had been any other human besides Kikyou, he would have been disgusted by it, but he wasn't. He forced himself to think it repulsive, but it was futile; he could never be disgusted by Kikyou.

His muse was interrupted by the voice of Kaede. "What are you doing here?" She questioned the tall, arrogant demon; her gaze was full of defiance. Sesshoumaru merely looked down at the tiny insignificant girl glaring at him. He didn't like the look the little brat was giving him.

He didn't reply; he had not liked the tone in which the kid spoke to him in. Did she know he was the infamous demon lord Sesshoumaru?

"Aren't you gonna answer my question?" Kaede spoke once again.

"No." was his simple, yet rather curt answer. He didn't feel the need to explain himself to the little vermin who insisted he answer her. Kaede gave him an irritated look before she gave him another question.

"What do you want with my sister?"

"Your sister? Oh, yes, you're the little girl who's always following Kikyou around everywhere." Sesshoumaru noted.

"Yes, my sister; what do you want with her?" Kaede repeated. She was going to persist on that question until the pompous demon answered. At least that was her plan, anyway.

"Nothing." He replied uninterestedly.

"Then that means you continue to have 'conversations' with my sister for no reason whatsoever?" Kaede asked. She knew that if she pressed, he would eventually get annoyed and give in.

Sesshoumaru thought about the question, and it ended up being true. He had no particular reason for talking to Kikyou or remain in the area. He could have left this somewhat horrid little community filled with humans long ago, but he hadn't. What was his reason for staying there? He then realized his one and only reason for staying was Kikyou, but why was Kikyou his reason?

He had never been so confused in his life, and as a matter of fact, he had never actually been confused by anything in his life until now. Why was that little human called Kikyou so perplexing? Why was she such an enigma?

"Are you gonna answer me or not?" Kaede broke his muse. Sesshoumaru glared at the small girl in front of him. She glared at him back with an amazing amount of boldness.

"Hmmph, you're just like your sister." Sesshoumaru commented before he turned on his heel as to leave, and he was out of sight in a matter of seconds.

Kaede stared out in surprise as he disappeared. 'That rotten cheat! He left before he answered my question!' Kaede thought furiously.

--

The same questions that were haunting Sesshoumaru were haunting Kikyou. Why was he so puzzling? He was so hard to figure out. He was like an impenetrable fortress. Nothing could get to his cold heart.

Even as she played with the children who ha pulled her out of her home, she still could not get that demon out of her mind.

--

**Author's Notes:** Sorry I haven't updated in a long time, and I know I shouldn't make-up excuses, but I have a good one! Really, I do! You see, I'm enrolled in marching band, and this time of year happens to be our marching season, so we have a lot of tournaments we have to go to! T-T Also, I'm sorry if this chapter was a little short! And, sorry if there's any spelling mistakes in the chapter, I'm too tired to edit...


	14. A Friend?

--

_**Unexpected Encounters**_

_**Chapter Fourteen: A "Friend"?**_

_**--**_

Kikyou was unsure of where her small indecisive footsteps were taking her; she was too tired to know or even to care. Her day was a tiring one; countless demons had decided to get together and attack that day, and she was beat at having to use so much spiritual energy to destroy them. Normally, she wouldn't use up so much energy to kill demons of their class, but something was changing. Her mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of the demon lord, and therefore she couldn't concentrate at whatever it was she had to do.

Her absent-minded walk lead her to a clearing in the forest. A feeling of déjà vu washed over Kikyou, and she remembered the place. ''I think I've been here before… I remember…'' She said out loud. It was the same clearing she had stumbled upon many days ago; it was the clearing where the river lead to the waterfall. She smiled a little, remembering the memories she held of that place. "Yes, I remember it quite well now." She said.

"It seems you have a habit of talking to yourself, miko." Sesshoumaru's voice came. His tone was the same as always: cold and monotonous. However, somehow it sounded different to her; it wasn't as harsh as it used to be. He was sitting on the edge of the river bank. Kikyou didn't reply to his question and instead continued walking forward until she was sitting right next to him. She wasn't really close to him, but Sesshoumaru was quite surprised by her action.

"What are you doing?" He asked her.

"I'm just sitting down after a hard day." Kikyou replied simply. Really, that was all she was doing. Sesshoumaru decided against replying and remained quiet. He didn't enjoy being so close to her, or so he forced himself to believe, but his pride didn't let him leave the spot.

"Remember, what I said a long time ago? I said that we are alike in many ways." Kikyou asked out of the blue. Sesshoumaru was a little taken aback by her totally random question, but he replied anyway.

"What of it? Do you still believe that we are alike? If you do, you are quite foolish." He said.

"Oh really, how is that? I don't see why it is so foolish. Perhaps it is your pride of being compared to a human woman, like me, that you deny it." She stated rather curtly.

"Idiot… Are you really so dense? We're nothing alike. You fight for the sake of those villagers, never for yourself. I fight for myself; nobody else." Sesshoumaru told her sternly. Kikyou was taken aback by Sesshoumaru's declaration. For the first time in a long while, Kikyou was struck speechless. Not knowing what to say, she remained silent. "And for some time, miko, I thought you were somewhat intelligent, but was I wrong?"

"I would prefer it if you called me Kikyou." She stated.

"What?" Sesshoumaru asked; not completely sure of why she had brought that up.

"That's why I have a name, isn't it? For other people to call me by it. But you insist on calling me 'miko'. I would prefer it if you called me by the name I was given instead of calling me by a meaningless title." She responded coldly. He smirked before he gave her his answer.

"Oh, so you wish for me to call you by your name? Is that it, miko?" He asked mockingly. She threw him a hard stare as he said that. "Very well, Kikyou." He said suddenly which earned a small flinch from her, who was surprised to hear him say her name for the first time. "What's the matter? Would you prefer if I continued calling you 'miko'?"

"No, I just didn't think you would listen to me…" She replied softly, "But I rather like being called Kikyou better than 'miko'." She said more strongly. And so, more dead silence continued after that last phrase pf hers. They remained like that for quite a while; enjoying that peaceful silence that was even more precious than words. That dead silence which occurred so often between two people that are incredibly aloof, and aren't able to express their feelings.

Both Sesshoumaru and Kikyou were thinking about the same things. Each one was wondering what the other one was thinking about them, which was actually quite ironic.

Kikyou's loose locks of black satin swayed in the fresh evening breeze, as did Sesshoumaru's own silver tresses. The sun hid behind the majestic mountains behind them, and splashes of indigo and pink were sprayed all across the grand sky as it began to make a transition into the darkness.

On that evening, a bond began to form between the human and the demon. Sesshoumaru was reluctant to admit it, but he had developed some sort of connection with Kikyou, as did she. Sesshoumaru wasn't exactly friendly with the young priestess, and he was still rather aloof, but his reserve was slowly lessening. Kikyou was friendlier than he was; occasionally giving him a small smile. Only time would tell what that unique bond would lead them to…

**--**

The days passed slowly through the pleasant spring, and now the unbearable humidity of the summer came. For Kikyou and Kaede, the days were spent like all other days, and they repeated the same mundane routine. Sesshoumaru had left the village to travel elsewhere, but he would always come back to visit the little village in which Kikyou lived. For Kikyou, his visits were all she looked forward to during those days; their odd "friendship".

The wounded bandit, Onigumo, still lay at the cave, and it was obvious now that he would never recover. Kikyou sometimes pitied the man, and thought it would be better if he should rest in peace. She had brought up the topic once on one of her occasional visits to the bandit's cave, but he would refuse to die, "I will not die; not yet! I refuse to!" he would say. Kikyou rarely visited him now, and would send Kaede instead to check on him. This irritated and angered Onigumo to the point where he would demand Kikyou to come. Kaede had only brushed it off.

"Where is she?! Why won't she come anymore?!" He had demanded Kaede. Kaede would just give him an annoyed glance and reply,

"What does it matter to you? But if you must know she's too busy handling demons to spend time with you."

"I refuse to be bandaged up by anyone except her! Tell her that!" He threatened.

"What choice do you have? You can't even move." Kaede had shot back calmly. His frustration grew to the maximum at her comment. It was true, he would probably never be able to move again, and that pained him tremendously. He wanted to claim Kikyou as his, to raid villages again, to be able to do what he had done in the past. Somehow, he vowed to himself, he would find a way to be what he once used to be! Someday… Somehow...

As the time passed Kaede had grow aware of her elder sister's curious outings. She had followed Kikyou one night to find the proud Sesshoumaru waiting for her sister. Kaede wasted no time in inquiring about the two's meeting.

"So, you followed me?" Kikyou had immediately responded to the younger girl's question.

"Well, uh, yeah… But my intention was good! I was just worried about where you were going!" Kaede had said desperately. Kikyou gave her a smile and laughed pleasantly.

"Were you worried or just curious?" Kaede's face reddened guiltily, "Don't worry about it. It's rather strange, but he's like a… like a 'friend'." Kikyou spoke, and made a strange face when she had said "friend". Had she ever had a friend? No, probably not. Maybe only Kaede… But she had always referred to her as a sister. Kaede smiled a bit, noticing her sister's reaction. Even if she was still a little suspicious of Sesshoumaru, she was glad that her sister had a "friend" (If he could even be called that).

After that conversation, Kikyou couldn't stop pondering about her new "friend"…

--

**Author's Note:** Oh, dear… You probably all thought I had died or something, huh? I am sorry… Don't kill me! I know it's rather short, but it's better than nothing right? I'll try to write more and finish it… Think of this as a little Christmas present… Or whatever it is you celebrate. I'm sorry it isn't all that good… My obsession with Inuyasha died a long time ago… But I'll do my best to finish! I still like Inuyasha, though, so yeah (But I'm not as into it as I used to be. I don't even watch it anymore). Please review! It would make this writer a very happy person!


	15. Soul

**Author's Note:** I am quite the procrastinator, no? Well, here it is: the long-awaited fifteenth chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha. Enough said.

**--**

_**Unexpected Encounters**_

_**Chapter Fifteen: Soul**_

**--**

"Sesshoumaru… Your brother, Inuyasha, is a half-demon, right?" Kikyou's gentle voice broke through the silence of the lazy evening.

"_Half-brother_." Sesshoumaru sharply corrected the young woman. It was late-afternoon, and Kikyou was calmly searching for herbs in a grassy field while Sesshoumaru watched her. His golden orbs were distant as always, but weren't as harsh as they used to be.

"I'll take that as a yes…" Kikyou absently commented as she pulled herbs she deemed useful from the ground. "What is this Inuyasha like?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"Must you speak of him? Just the mention of his name disgusts me." Sesshoumaru retorted in his usual cold way. "But if you must know, he is a fool. I hardly believe he is capable of thinking."

"Really now?" Kikyou spoke, a short laugh following after. For a brief moment, he thought that her laughter was musical, but of course, the dog demon brushed the thought off as soon as it had crossed his mind. "I'm sure he isn't as moronic as you paint him out to be."

"Oh, but he is. The scope of his stupidity manages to surprise even me."

"You only say that because you dislike him," Kikyou spoke softly; her nimble fingers picking away at the herbs off the ground, "He's your only brother, Sesshoumaru; maybe you should at least try to appreciate him more."

"My _half-brother_, woman. How many times do I have to tell you? Getting along with a half-breed like him is simply impossible." Kikyou sighed at the obstinate full-fledged dog demon who sat regally against a tree. His "demon pride", as he called it, was something she could never fully comprehend. Had Kaede been a half-demon, Kikyou was sure she would have loved her younger sister just the same. Kikyou decided to drop the subject all together for both of their sakes, and instead remained silent while she continued on with her work. The silence only remained for a few minutes, for Sesshoumaru decided to cut through it, "Kikyou."

"What is it?" She had stopped what she was doing, turning to face him full on. Although the cold demon lord had begun to use her name more instead of 'miko', it was still a rare occasion when he would actually call out to her like that, so he had definitely caught her attention.

"Rumor has it that Inuyasha wants to become a full-fledged demon," She waited silently for him to continue, "Do you know how he can achieve this goal?"

"The Shikon Jewel?" Kikyou guessed. Kikyou was no idiot, she knew full well what was the only thing that could transform a half-demon into a full-demon.

"That's right," Sesshoumaru smirked, "I must warn you, Kikyou, to be careful if the wretch ever decides to show up."

"If he's as pathetic as you say, then he'll be easy to take care of."

"He _is_ pathetic, but you are only but a powerless human. Even a lowly half-breed is stronger than a human."

"I am not only just a human, Sesshoumaru; I am a miko." Kikyou asserted confidently. "You need not worry about me. You'll find I'm quite capable."

"I'm not worried." Sesshoumaru retorted, golden eyes narrowed at her "impudence", but something about how his voice wavered advised him otherwise – that maybe he was a little worried about the petite miko. Just a little.

Or maybe a lot more than he let himself believe?

_No_, he assured himself, _not even a little_. But he knew he was only lying to himself, and in the end, it was fruitless to try and convince himself otherwise. He _did _care about his only human acquaintance. She was pleasant, and her opinions were sometimes – if not most of the time – more intelligent and meaningful than any opinion a demon could ever give him. The fact that she was a human impeded him from being too comfortable with her, but sometimes, he forgot that the raven-haired girl was even a human; a disgusting, filthy human whom he had learned to hate, but really, he didn't think of her like that. She was a special type of human. The type that was too smart to be one, but not strong enough to be otherwise.

He grimaced at the conflicting thoughts in his head. Since when had the grand Sesshoumaru-sama ever been distraught about anything?

**

"Hey, girl." A raspy voice called out to the grumbling Kaede. It was none other than Onigumo, lying motionlessly on the futon waiting for Kaede to tend to him.

"What is it now, Onigumo?" Kaede replied sharply.

"Where's Kikyou?"

"Not here, obviously." Kaede retorted forcefully. She was not in the mood to deal with his disgusting comments today.

"Don't get fresh with me, girl! Kikyou has been coming less and less lately, and I want to know what's occupying her time so much that she can't come to see poor, old me." He retaliated with boiling anger.

"If you must now, she's gathering herbs."

"Can't you do that?" Onigumo questioned.

"Yeah, but she's with a… friend." Kaede said that last bit uncertainly, because really, could the cold dog-demon truly be a friend to her sister?

If Onigumo wasn't as mutilated as he was, his face would have distorted grotesquely in anger, but alas, he had not much movement in his face, so his rage came out to look like a wide-eyed stare, which Kaede found to be sickening.

"She would rather be with Sesshoumaru than you!" Kaede wasn't usually a nasty person, but when around Onigumo, she couldn't help but indulge herself and be a little sadistic to the lowly bandit. She knew that he was jealous and it hurt him, but she added more salt to the wound.

"A man? Another man with my Kikyou?" Onigumo's voice was laced with the most toxic venom, "I'll show him to mess with what's mine. I'll _kill_ him!"

Kaede didn't bother to explain to the enraged fool that Kikyou and Sesshoumaru were only just friends. At least that's what she thought. "Would you be quiet? I can't concentrate if you're gonna be all loud like that!" Kaede said crossly.

**

"Well, Sesshoumaru, it's best I be off now. I don't want Kaede to worry about me." Kikyou addressed the high and mighty demon lord standing straight up to his full height, looking imperial and royal in the shimmering moonlight. The proud demon said nothing, but instead nodded to show he had heard.

Kikyou waited a bit before leaving, hoping to hear him at least mumble a farewell, but of course, he said nothing, which was common for the terse dog-demon. She thought herself foolish for thinking that he would even acknowledge her and waste his few words on something as foolish as a goodbye. She sighed, and began to walk back towards the village. She was about five yards away from him when she heard his sharp voice.

"I'll see you the next day, I suppose." The silver-haired humanoid spoke clearly from his spot, "Until tomorrow, then, Kikyou."

"Goodbye, Sesshoumaru." Kikyou smiled at the demon lord – and it was a genuine, sincere smile.

And Sesshoumaru swore he felt something in his heart turn, but he dismissed it as a figment of his imagination.

_It had to be_.

**

Long after Kaede had left, Onigumo was still fuming. If only he could see Kikyou, if only he could move, if only he could get his hands on that _Sesshoumaru_ and kill him. But of course, he could do none of those things, thanks to his handicap, so instead he spat out all the curses he could think of and cursed at everything – "Damn Sesshoumaru! Damn brat! Damn traitors! Damn the world! _Damn Kikyou_!"

_Damn Kikyou_.

His desire for her was eating him in the inside. He yearned to touch that alabaster skin; that silky mass of raven hair; that delicious body that only a goddess like her could possess. But he couldn't ever touch her. No. He couldn't ever move.

And now, he learned that she was seeing some man instead of tending to him. She was _his_.

"I'll kill him! That bastard! I'll kill that damn son of a bi –" But he didn't get the chance to finish, for another voice cut in.

"You can't kill him in this pathetic state, you silly man." It was a woman's voice, he noted. "This man is no regular man. He is a demon! And one of the most powerful!"

"Who is it!? Who's in here!? Kikyou!" Onigumo yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Ugh, please stop; your screaming hurts my ears."

"Show your face!" The bandit demanded roughly. The silhouette standing in front of him stepped into his view, and Onigumo saw it was only a woman. A woman with cruel eyes and red lips.

"Do not fret, pitiful man. I am here to help you, so to say." Onigumo listened carefully. "I know of a method that would enable you to be mobile again." Her sharp voice was calm and cruel – deadly.

"I'm listening."

"It comes with a price, though. A very high price, to be exact." She began again.

"And what is that price?"

"Your soul."

Onigumo's eyes were shining, "Who are you?"

"They call me… Tsubaki."

--

**Author's Notes: **Wow, how long has it been? Well, here is the long delayed chapter of Unexpected Encounters! Wow, the title sounds so cheesy.

Well, I think I owe you all a very heartfelt apology: I'm sorry. I'm a horrible, horrible, person for making you guys wait so long! I was originally going to finish this chapter during Spring Break, but I didn't. And then our school shut down cuz of the Swine Flu (Bacon Fever!) and I thought that maybe I'd update then. But of course, I didn't, so instead I bring this chapter to you over the summer.

Please leave a review! I love you all! Your reviews are what made me post this today!

P.S. Sorry if anything sounds weird or out of character. I haven't watched Inuyasha in the longest time. And because of my obsession with Death Note, those characters have been going through my head instead of the Inuyasha ones. I hope I didn't mix up Sesshoumaru with Mello or L. Or God forbid, Light! XD


	16. Burn

**C. Mushroom Says**: Oh em gee! One-Hundred Reviews! I'm so happeh! I think I might start to cry out of happiness… But yeah, I've finally regained some of my muse and decided to write out the next chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I don't Inuyasha in any way, shape, or form. 'Nuff said.

--

**Unexpected Encounters**

**Chapter Sixteen: **_**Burn**_

**--**

"So how is it?"

"How is what?"

"Your new body, of course. What else could you think I was talking about, you insufferable man?" It was a woman's voice that spoke in the darkness – a voice that was both sharp and malicious.

"It feels unstable. As if I can't stand up without losing my balance." The voice was husky, much like Onigumo's.

"Well, you have to take in to consideration that for the past several months you've been unable to move. Of course it's going to feel strange when you finally regain your mobility." It was Tsubaki who was speaking; her cruel eyes were glinting in the darkness of the cave. "Onigumo."

"Don't call me that anymore." He answered. In the dim light of the cave, his new form was indiscernible, but his eyes stood out – they were a gleaming red. "My new name is… Naraku," and then he let out a malevolent cackle.

"Naraku - 'hell'. What a fitting name," She let out a snicker of her own, "But tell me, what are your plans? How do you plan to bring the downfall of Kikyou?"

"Now don't be impatient, my dear. You will see soon enough…" Onigumo, or rather "Naraku", assured the dark priestess. "I assure you, though, that both Kikyou and the Shikon Jewel _will be mine_."

--

"Kikyou! Kikyou!"

"What is the matter with you, Kaede?" Kikyou turned from patching up a villager that had recently been attacked by a demon to her little sister, "I'm quite busy right now, so whatever it is, it will have to wait."

"But Kikyou," Kaede pleaded, "It's really important! It really is!"

Kikyou turned to the injured man and said, "I'm sorry. My sister is causing such a ruckus and here you are – injured and exhausted."

"Don't worry about it, Kikyou-sama. I'm fine. I'm sure that whatever your sister has to tell you is very important." The man spoke weakly.

"Yes it is!"

Kikyou sighed, but complied anyway, "Will you excuse me for a while?" She asked, and the man smiled and nodded back kindly. Both sisters stepped out of the hut, and almost immediately, the young Kaede started spilling out her tale.

"Kikyou, the cave where Onigumo was at – it's burned down!" Kikyou's eyes widened as she gasped in horror.

"Has he… died?"

"That's the thing! I can't find the remains of his body!"Kaede exclaimed, her brown eyes large in fear and terror.

"Alright, let me just finish bandaging Haku, and we'll head out to the cave to investigate." Kikyou concluded. And within the next twenty minutes, finish she did. The two girls wasted no time in scurrying to the refuge they had made for the pitiful bandit Onigumo.

"See, Kikyou? I told you it was important!" Kaede persisted. Kikyou nodded as she entered the debris of what once used to be a cave, the light of day giving her just enough visibility to see inside more or less clearly. Like a lost puppy, Kaede stepped inside too, dragging her feet noisily against the ashes as she followed the elder girl. It was when Kikyou got to the spot where Onigumo once lay that she made a sound.

"Kaede, get out of here this instant!" Kikyou warned; her voice firm as she grabbed her bow and an arrow from her sling. Kaede scuttled out of the way and made a beeline to the exit of the cave. From the outside; however, Kaede kept a close watch on the alert miko. Kikyou stood there, in the same spot and in the same alert position – her fighting stance – for what seemed like hours to Kaede, and to Kikyou as well. After a while, Kikyou dropped her tense position, and began gracefully striding back to where the little Kaede was.

"Kikyou, what's wrong?"

"There's a strong demonic aura in the spot where Onigumo used to lay." Kikyou directed her gaze to the floor, sadly, "A demon must have devoured him, that poor soul. Wherever he is now, he is finally able to rest in peace."

"You mean in hell?" Kaede muttered under her breath.

"Kaede, please." Kikyou scolded her younger sister's apparent bitterness.

"Oh, Kikyou, you're too kind." Kaede sighed, but Kikyou wasn't paying any attention, for a newcomer had just entered the area.

"Sesshoumaru…?" Kikyou inquired lightly, "What are you doing here so early?"

"So early? What do you mean by –" but Kikyou had cut off Kaede before she could finish.

"Kaede, maybe you should go practice your archery, hm?"

"You're just saying that so I can leave you alone with Sesshoumaru, aren't you?" Kaede thought out loud as both adults stared down at the small girl. Kaede noticed Kikyou's change of expression, and she swore she looked embarrassed. "But fine, I'll leave you be." Kaede made it seem like she was going back to the village, but cleverly, she settled in between some thick bushes at the end of clearing, where they couldn't hear or see her.

"Hey watch it, human!" A hushed, squawky voice squeaked when she sat down, and she realized it was the little demon toad that always followed the tall and proud dog demon around.

"Sorry," She offered, as they both came to a silent truce as they eavesdropped on the pair – the master and the sister.

--

"What's wrong, Sesshoumaru? It's not like you to show up this early in the day. You usually come to visit at night…" Kikyou wondered aloud.

"It's nothing." Sesshoumaru answered curtly – he couldn't dare admit to her that he came in an instant of spontaneous want to see her. It was ludicrous, really. Sesshoumaru, great and noble demon lord of the West, wanting to see a seemingly insignificant human woman; it was absurd.

"Oh." Was all Kikyou said.

"What happened here?" He inquired, changing the subject back to the charred cave.

"I suspect a demon must have come at night and burned it down, as well as devoured the man inside." Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the "man inside" part, and so Kikyou began to explain the whole details of the Onigumo affair to him.

"You harbored a bandit?"

"Yes, but he was harmless. He couldn't move at all, that pitiful man. And now he is gone from the world of the living."Kikyou explained.

"Filthy bandits deserve no pity." Sesshoumaru spoke condescendingly.

"We all deserve at least –" Kikyou was saying, but a shrill scream interrupted her. A scream that sounded very much like –

"Kaede!" Kikyou yelled after her sister. In a panic, Kikyou ran towards the direction of her sister's scream, and found there a hoard of demons, all ready to attack her beloved little sister. "Kaede, duck!" Kikyou shouted as she loaded her bow with an arrow, ready to shoot. From her peripheral vision, she could see Sesshoumaru's demon servant, Jaken, begin to fire flames from his staff in an effort to defend himself. Kikyou let her arrow loose, and shot the demon right in an eye, but unlike usual, the demon didn't instantly disintegrate. The young priestess continued shooting arrows in hopes of ending the demon's lives. Fortunately, Sesshoumaru came to join in the battle.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kikyou gasped as the man killed various demons with a swipe of his venomous claws.

"Kikyou!" she heard her sister cry and she turned around only to see a demon right in front of her. The raven-haired miko gasped as she fumbled for an arrow and pointed it hastily at the demon, but it was too late, the demon had already made a move, and it struck her with its mighty claw. "Kikyou! Kikyou!" She heard her younger sister cry as she landed on the floor. The demon was about to strike again, but this time, Sesshoumaru intervened, killing it with a swish of his claw. And then Kikyou could make out Kaede's form as she ran to cradle Kikyou in her arms. "Oh, Kikyou. Are you okay!?" Kaede cried, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"I… I'm fine." Kikyou winced and closed her eyes at the pain.

"You, child. Get out of the way." Kikyou heard Sesshoumaru's deep voice above her somewhere.

"W-What are you doing?" Kaede sobbed and sniffled.

"Just get out of the way." He warned, and suddenly Kikyou felt herself being hoisted up. She opened her eyes, and saw herself being pressed against Sesshoumaru's armored chest. He had picked her up, bridal style.

"What a-are you d-doing?" Kikyou forced herself to say.

"Well, you obviously can't walk on your own, now can you?" Sesshoumaru explained; his voice unfeeling as usual. "You should think before you ask first, Miko."

"Where are you taking her?" Kaede spoke as Sesshoumaru began to walk.

"Is this not the direction of your home?" The dog demon replied harshly, as if he was talking to an idiot. Kaede grinned sheepishly as she nodded. "Alright then."

"But if the villagers see you, they'll get the wrong idea, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken panted. He was exhausted from using so much power to defeat all those demons.

"Then I'll make sure they won't see me." Sesshoumaru stated bluntly, as if all of it was as easy as taking a stroll through a path. And so he began, taking long strides back to the village as both Kaede and Jaken followed him.

--

"Damn that son of a bitch. Touching what's mine. That demon attack was meant for him and her little brat of a sister, but it backfired on me." A figure clothed in a baboon pelt and mask cursed as he watched Sesshoumaru take Kikyou back home from a nearby tree. "But still, I have to be patient. This was only my first step. Soon, Kikyou, soon…"

--

As Sesshoumaru had assured, the villagers had not seen even a glimpse of the proud demon lord as he took Kikyou back to her shabby, little hut. He had told Jaken and the kid to stay behind, for it would be harder to not be seen with two burdens following him around. As he entered the hut, Sesshoumaru settled down Kikyou's slender form on one of the futons that lay there. Kikyou grunted, and Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed.

"You humans are so fragile." Sesshoumaru commented, "You're all so burdensome."

"You could have left me. I didn't ask you to help me." Kikyou retorted. Still, she was panting heavily as she clutched at her wound, the blood oozing out slowly. Noticing this, Sesshoumaru glanced around the hut as he found what he was looking for – a stray piece of cloth. He picked it up and gave it to Kikyou, so she could put pressure on her wound to stop the bleeding. As she pressed against her injury, she whimpered a bit more.

"No, you didn't." Sesshoumaru agreed with her earlier statement as he stared at the wall absently. "But it would be unforgivable if I let a bunch of mediocre demons kill you."

"Hm. That doesn't sound like something the Sesshoumaru that I know would say."

"If any demon were to kill you, it'd be me." He declared, extending his sharp talons threateningly. For some reason, his words made her smile. She smiled even more when she realized she had been genuinely smiling a lot lately. "Don't forget that, Kikyou. I will be the one to kill you."

"I didn't know killing me would be such an honor."

"Hmph, it isn't. Don't get all high and mighty, Mi-"

"Kikyou." She interrupted weakly.

"Kikyou." Sesshoumaru complied reluctantly, and she smiled up at him again. Something turned inside Sesshoumaru, as he outstretched an arm to touch her cheek lightly. Kikyou gazed up at him – surprised, but not willing to have him stop as he curiously brushed his hand against her jawbone and went down to her neck. And then he jerked his hand back as if he had been burned, disgusted at himself and his actions.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Forget about it. I'll call your sister to take care of you." Sesshoumaru stood up abruptly and just like that, he was gone.

--

**More of what C. Mushroom has to Say: **Um, so yeah. Hopefully this makes up for my delayed chapter update. I'm somewhat inspired, so I might update this faster for the next chapter. Um, and yeah, sorry if Sesshoumaru sounds out of character, but it's inevitable. You're going to have to write Sesshoumaru a little OOC if you're going to write a romance fic about him. It's the undeniable truth. But hey! It's the sixteenth chapter! At least he's not being all lovey-dovey by the third chapter, right? =O

Please leave a review! The more reviews the more I write! If it weren't for the hundred reviews I got, I wouldn't have written this!


	17. Gone

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inuyasha, and neither do you. So sad, I know.

**xxx**

_**Unexpected Encounters**_

**Chapter 17: Gone**

**xxx**

"What was up with Sesshoumaru?" Kaede inquired as she gently wrapped up her elder sister's fresh wound. "He practically ran away, I mean. He seemed… agitated."

Kikyou sighed heavily. She was lying down on the futon, her soft tresses of black satin sprawled all over the hard pillow, looking like little rivers of flowing black water that were trying to escape from her head. "I've no idea." Kikyou lied. She had an idea why the arrogant silver-haired dog demon had left in such a huff, and it had to do with his strange actions and his demon pride. For the first time in her life, the young priestess felt ashamed, and not only because she had let such feeble demons almost defeat her, but also because she had dared let a demon – a heartless but snobbish demon lord, no less – touch her. She had let him carry her to her home, and then he had… _No,_ Kikyou thought, _he's just playing with me, trying to confuse me because he thinks he's so..._

"Well, it doesn't matter, I guess. It was awfully nice of him to offer to bring you all the way back here, so next time I see him I'll give him my thanks." Kaede thought out loud, "Hey, big sister?"

"Yes, Kaede?"

"Everyone says demons don't have hearts." Kaede began, timidly.

"Yes, that is what they say." Kikyou's voice was meek, coming out as only a forced rasp.

"I don't think that's true," this declaration caught Kikyou's attention enough to genuinely interest her, Kaede never spoke well of demons, "I mean, I don't think all demons are heartless and cruel. At least not the ones that take human forms like Sesshoumaru. Sure, he might have a superiority complex, but he's not a bad person. He saved you – us. If he didn't have feelings, don't you think – "

"They say that the demons who take human forms are the deadliest kind." Kikyou interjected, her voice sounded as if it was strained, but she spoke with an authority that made Kaede immediately quite down.

"I'm sorry." Was all Kaede said as she continued to dress her sister's wound.

**xx**

Jaken thought, with a sort of wild fascination about him, about the mysterious events that had transpired inside the priestess's hut that could make even the great and stoic Sesshoumaru appear so distraught. Many imaginary scenarios had passed through Jaken's mind, but none of them seemed great enough to upset the great Sesshoumaru-sama. Jaken wanted to ask, but he knew better than to badger his lord when he was in a bad mood. Too many times the little imp had been too close to death because he had bothered his master, and he didn't want to go through yet another near-death experience, especially if he could avoid it.

"Jaken." Sesshoumaru's low voice cut through Jaken's thoughts like the sharpened arrow of the dark-haired priestess they had been in the company of just an hour ago.

"Y-yes, m'lord?" The green toad-like creature hesitated, afraid of what was to come.

"We're leaving." Was all the demon said as he stood up elegantly from his spot beside a tree, like a king springing from his throne.

"So soon?" Jaken squawked. Whenever they were in the area, Sesshoumaru would spend more than just a day.

"Are you questioning me?" Sesshoumaru's glare was even scarier than usual, Jaken noticed with a twinge of fear.

"O-of course not! I would never question Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Then don't ask questions. All you need to know is that we're leaving." Sesshoumaru's voice dropped down an octave, and at this point, poor little Jaken was trembling in fright. The imp nodded vigorously, nervously. Neither the toad nor the grand demon dog spoke another word to each other. Sesshoumaru merely began his long graceful strides as the lesser demon stumbled behind him, his little legs taking him as fast as he could to keep up with his long-limbed lord.

Sesshoumaru, despite his taciturn facade, was angry – angrier than he'd ever been in his life (excluding the time when his father died protecting a _useless_ human woman). Inside, he felt the foreign feeling of something boiling; a raw feeling of animalistic rage, something Sesshoumaru had learned to control too long ago. A feeling so savage and primal that he thought he might just lash out at anything in his path and just _rip it to shreds until those shreds were nothing but nothingness._ He hadn't felt that way in years. _Hundreds of years_.

And it was all because of another _useless human woman._

That little priestess with dark, sinful-as-night locks of the softest-of-silk hair; eyes as brown and as innocent as a doe's, but also containing the wisdom of an owl; skin as white as the radiant full moon and as smooth as the petals of a lily; movements as graceful as the most elegant swan…

_Disgusting humans_, Sesshoumaru thought bitterly with resolve. They were all disgusting. Inferior, weak, feeble, stupid, selfish, brainless, brittle, deceptive, foolish, egotistical… They were the vilest creatures to roam the world, in his opinion. _Even that woman_, Sesshoumaru added, but his mind came to a blank when he tried to come up with a reason for why she was just as vile as all the others. And so the demon lord concluded, _She's contemptible because she doesn't meet my expectations of all humans._

Of course, anything, no matter how ridiculous or senseless it was, was enough to pacify the demon's chaotic mind at the moment. Even an absurd rationale like the one he had just theorized. Any reason would suffice for hating that damned priestess, and how did he hate her. Sesshoumaru smirked, all the while his little demon toad servant cowered in fear.

**xxx**

"You know, perhaps this isn't of great consequence, but I haven't seen Kikyou-sama today," A young woman said to another.

"Now that I think about it, neither have I." It was late in the afternoon in the village that Kikyou so diligently watched over, and the people were all returning home after a hard work day.

"It's unusual, isn't it? I hope everything's okay." A third woman, a stout but homely looking middle-aged women, added in to the conversation. "I believe I saw her in the morning, though. She was headed towards the forest."

"Oh no! You don't think a demon attacked her, do you?" The first girl said; she was scrawny and looked no older than sixteen.

"But Kikyou-sama's so strong! No demon could ever hurt her." The middle-aged women assured with a confidence that seemed to placate the two younger girl's fears.

"I wouldn't say a demon attacked her…" A foreign voice entered the women's babble and all three of them turned to the intruder – a cloaked woman of middle stature whose eyes they could tell were a blazing blue. "I'm sorry; I couldn't help but eavesdrop on your conversation." The mysterious blue-eyed woman laughed pleasantly.

"S'alright, but what's that you say about Kikyou-sama?" The scrawny teenager questioned suspiciously.

"Well, maybe it's not my place to say this, but part of me thinks that it is my responsibility to inform people of what I saw today." The woman's voice turned grave, the red lips setting in a serious frown. The other three villagers came closer to the women in the navy blue cloak in anticipation over hearing a new gossip story.

"Oh, please do tell!" The three women chimed in.

"You see, this morning, I was at the entrance to the village when I saw Kikyou-sama… in the arms of a man - and not just a man, but a demon!" The woman's voice rose in volume and pitch to which the others related to disgust at their beloved miko's behavior. The trio gasped in unison. "I thought my vision was failing me at first, for how could our great, pure Miko be with a demon? But no, as I got closer to the scene, I accepted with great sadness that my vision was indeed correct the first time: our great Kikyou-sama was indeed with a demon in the form of a human."

"Oh my! Kikyou-sama has betrayed us?" The second woman gasped out with a twinge of anger. The gleaming blue sapphires from underneath the equally intense blue cloak spewed out soft tears.

"It pains me to have to speak such blasphemy of Lady Kikyou, but believe me, I wouldn't speak such things if they weren't true. But they are!" the woman cried more while the others condemned their young priestess with words of hate and disappointment. "Forgive me for such emotion, but it pains me oh so much. Excuse me, but I must go on home, this day has been truly horrific."

"Oh, don't worry, dear. Our great miko is no longer so great! The people must know of her terrible crime, we will make sure of it!" The stubby woman declared with finality.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, ladies." The cloaked women thanked as she made her way out of the village scene with sure, confident strides. The three village women had been excited so by the news of the mysterious person that they failed to even so much as inquire after who the stranger was, much less question said stranger's credibility.

xxx

"Quite the theatrics you put up, eh Tsubaki?" The dark, deep voice of the malicious crimson-orbed Naraku spoke as the hooded woman from the village came upon his sight. "But I don't see how this will help me in taking Kikyou."

"Silly demon," Tsubaki removed the cloak she had worn to disguise herself in one fluid movement, her deep azures and seductive red lips becoming more defined from the loss of shadow on her face, "I have my own revenge to act upon. And ruining her reputation seems to me a reasonable way."

Naraku said nothing; it didn't concern him what Kikyou's relationship with the villagers was. But once he started to think about it, he came to the conclusion that it could ultimately help his wishes; after all, he did want to see the lovely priestess's face contorted in anger, bitterness, and hate, and if her beloved little village people hated her, the priestess would be sure to break down and give in to corruption.

Just thinking about it gave "Onigumo" shivers of pleasure.

xxx

Three quiet weeks had passed since Kikyou had been injured by the inferior demons, and there was no sign of Sesshoumaru anywhere. Kikyou continued on with her daily routine; her mundane almost trivial life before the dog demon had appeared had returned. She fought demons while protecting the Shikon jewel, she collected herbs she deemed useful, she tended the villagers, but there were no more conversations with the arrogant, proud, supercilious demon. Although Kikyou politely denied that she missed the egotistical male's presence, Kaede sensed something different in her older sister. There was a melancholic air about her sister, an air that accompanied her in everything she did.

"Sister, why hasn't Sesshoumaru come back?" Kaede asked casually. The two sisters were both inside their humble abode due to the heavy rain outside.

"And why do you suppose that I should know?" Kikyou replied all too quickly and none too politely. Kaede stared at her sister with wide, surprised eyes; it wasn't usual, in fact it was extremely rare, for Kikyou to manifest any kind of displeasure, in this case irritation.

"I-I'm sorry."

"No, Kaede, I should be the one to apologize. That was rather rude of me." Kikyou's sad eyes implored for forgiveness from Kaede. "But I doubt Sesshoumaru will ever come back." She added, trying to force out a complacent smile on her beautiful face. Something in Kikyou's expression caused Kaede's earthen brown eyes to begin to twinkle with newly-formed crystalline tears. And without any warning, the younger girl hurled herself to the older girl and entangled her short arms around her in an embrace. "K-Kaede?" stammered Kikyou.

"Oh, Kikyou!" was all Kaede said as she, for the first time in a long while, embraced Kikyou and treated her like she was her actual blood sister instead of treating her like an untouchable idol.

"Now, now, there's no need to cry." Kikyou hugged back the much smaller girl lightly; her voice soft and kind and her expression compassionate. Kikyou did not ask why her sister cried, but somehow, there was a mutual understanding between the two. Kaede cried not because of the regal demon she had grown used to, but because of her sister. For the first time, Kaede realized the loneliness that came with being the village priestess and being the Shikon Jewel's sole protector – it was a curse, not a blessing, that her sister was forced to endure, and Kaede felt sad; sad because she could see her sister's, her only family member's, desire to be a normal woman – a normal woman who could feel fear, anger, sadness, happiness, and most importantly, a normal woman who could love, but Kikyou was no ordinary woman, and Kaede felt pity for her.

It was during this heart-warming moment between siblings that something thumped against their humble home. The two pulled apart instantly in alarm, ready to act if need be. After that singular thump, dozens more followed but they were accompanied by shouting. "Sister, what's happening?"

"I don't know, but stay hidden and I will find out." The older women made a beeline to her bow and quiver, slinging them expertly over her shoulders. She cracked open the door, the shouts and exclamations sounding clearer. "Those are the voices of the villagers…"

"Miko, get out! Confront us and face your sins!" The two sisters heard the group outside their home chanting like some sort of mantra.

"What is this?" Kikyou shouted back from behind the shield that was the door. The cacophony of heated voices did not relent and instead increased tenfold in volume, but even through the discord of the noise, Kikyou could distinguish one word from the gibberish of the litany of the crowd: "whore".

"Whore! Whore! Whore!" many chanted with an ardent hatred that both severely confused and bothered the young woman whom the ignorant villagers outside so unjustly accused. Kikyou's usually serene and pleasant countenance hardened into a stern façade of coldness as she moved as if to open the rest of the bastion that was the door to her home.

"Kikyou!" Kaede practically screamed as her sister passed through the threshold.

"Kaede, stay hidden!" The elder girl forcefully commanded to the wide-eyed Kaede. Kikyou held her head up high, her loose locks of black satin flying about in the night's semi-violent wind, her poise a paragon of dignity and respect. The villagers immediately shushed upon being graced by her majestic presence. The scene vaguely reminded Kaede of a goddess entering upon a scene of violence. "What is your purpose? What is the reason behind this tomfoolery?" Kikyou's voice cut through the tense atmosphere. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire the villagers held in torches and the sudden gusts of wind that rattled the surrounding trees.

"We know of your wrongdoings, you vile woman!" Cried out one particularly brazen villager – a worn out old man whose various scattered scars pointed to a past filled with battles; he was an ex-samurai. Those around him seconded his claim by affronting the young priestess with excessive vulgarity.

"And to what wrongdoings do you all credit me for? Please, enlighten me!" Kikyou's authority struck all of them silent again.

_Even through their insults, Kikyou stands tall through it all! _Kaede observed from her spot inside the hut, her eyes shining with admiration.

"Don't play dumb! We know of your blasphemous relationship with a man, and not just any man – a demon!" The same withering old man from before accused with a crooked finger.

"Blasphemous relationship? I think you are mistaken." Kikyou's brow furrowed in consternation. Just what were they insinuating? The only demon she knew was…

"I think not! I saw it with my own eyes! You were with a demon, and he was… he was touching you and you were letting him!" The stout woman who had been gullible enough to believe Tsubaki's exaggerations came forth from the mutinous crowd.

_Did they…? Did they see when Sesshoumaru… but no, that's impossible. The only thing they could have seen is when he carried me back home. Yes, _Kikyou rationalized, _they're just blowing it out of proportion._

"What's the matter? You realize that it's useless to try and hide it now! You're no priestess; you're just a common whore – a slut!" Shouted another one.

"Think of me what you will, but I will not allow you to insult me at my own home!" Though her voice was for the most part even, Kikyou was livid: how dare they throw such lewd accusations at her? She, whom had nursed many of them back to health during moments of illness; she, whom had helped them in times of need; and she, whom risked her life daily to protect them from the demons they could not fight against.

And the chanting began again – _whore, whore, whore_. And yet Kikyou - proud, beautiful Kikyou – stood tall through it all, her face set in hard lines. And then someone threw a rock. It wasn't a big one, but still, it hit Kikyou right in the face, causing her to momentarily grimace.

"Stop!" A singular voice pleaded. It was Kaede; the little girl had bravely stood in front of her elder sister, the tears running down her young, freckled face. "Please stop! Kikyou didn't do anything wrong, I swear!" The girl was able to say between sobs and sniffles.

The villagers stopped their derailing of Kikyou and just stared at the courageous young soul of Kaede, but still the hatred continued showing through their beady eyes, their rage still not satisfied. In their minds, Kikyou was just a fallen angel, and she had to pay for her sin.

**xxx**

**Carnivorous Mushroom says: **Rumors sure do get out of proportion, eh? Especially in little villages where everybody knows each other! Well, this chapter here is the beginning of the climax! And y'all know what comes after the climax: the resolution! Yay!

Well, what can I say? I'm sorry. AGAIN. You know, for taking forever to update. This chapter is a lot longer than the others, so I hope that makes up for it at least a little. I'm going to try to get this finished before summer, but there's no guarantee. I'm moving off to college, and who knows when I'll be able to update once classes start. That's why I need to finish this during the summer! :P

Wish me luck, all of you. And thank you, for being such loyal readers! I love you all! :D (Don't forget to review!)


	18. Only Half

**Disclaimer: **You know already.

**xxx**

_**Unexpected Encounters**_

_**Chapter 18: Only Half**_

**xxx**

After Kaede's courageous act of sisterly love and Kikyou's stern reprimands and warnings, the villagers grudgingly dispersed back to their homes, by no means satisfied, but even they had not the heart to harm a child who was not at fault for the sins of adults.

"How could I have not noticed…?" Kikyou pondered aloud as she hovered over the entrance to their shelter, "When it was so obvious. All these weeks they'd been acting so distant…"

"Sister, do you think that rumor started because of when Sesshoumaru carried you home?" Kaede questioned from her spot on the futon, her eyes had finally been dried of her constant tears, leaving them red and irritated.

"I suppose that's how. It was an exaggeration, but yes, that's the only way they could have come up with something like that." At that moment, Kikyou turned to face the younger girl, looking completely solemn, "Kaede, if this gets any worse, we may have to leave this village." Kaede's jaw fell open in disbelief.

"B-But this is our home! Why should we have to leave? It's their problem that they made up such lies, not ours. And what about the Shikon jewel?" Kaede managed to gasp out all in one breath.

"Forgive me Kaede, but if the villagers keep harassing us, we shall never be able to live in peace. The only solution would be to leave. And as for the Shikon jewel, I shall take it with me." Kikyou explained logically to her sister. Knowing that Kikyou was right and there was no other way, Kaede silently complied, albeit sadly. "Now go to sleep. It's been a long day for you."

"You should rest too, Kikyou." Kaede advised.

"No. I cannot. I have much to think about." The older girl replied. "Do not worry, I'll be fine." She gave a slight smile to the child that was her younger sister, trying to console the other's worried young heart.

"A-alright. Goodnight, sister." Kaede said as she laid on the futon, trying to get snug in the thin covers. It wasn't long until the youth fell into a deep sleep, and Kikyou, who had been watching, made her way out of the suffocating air of the hut to the refreshing wind of the outside. Taking slow, but sure, steps, she entered into the darkness of the surrounding forest, letting the foliage envelope her, comfort her. In times of stress, Kikyou found that the refreshing breath of nature was her best stress-reliever. The rattling of the tree leaves as the fresh breeze coursed through them, the hooting of the owls, the chorus of crickets chirping, and the crunching of dried leaves as Kikyou stepped on them – all the sounds of the forest were soothing to her. Before she knew it, her slow but graceful saunter lead her to the clearing where the tall waterfall gushed into the lake-river below, where she had many times conversed with the demon friend that was now long gone to who-knows-where. With a heavy sigh, Kikyou sat at the bank of the brook; the events of not-so-long-ago traipsing through her restless mind.

It was a flash of silver from a tree straight across that brought Kikyou to wake from her chaotic thoughts. Under normal circumstances, she would have snapped up in alarm and poised herself in a fighting stance, but the aura she sensed was far too familiar and instead of feeling alarm, she felt something entirely different – something that made her heart skip a beat and set her stomach a flutter; something very unlike the jolt of adrenaline she felt when danger was near.

"Sesshou –" Kikyou was about to question, but before she could finish, the flash of silver she had seen before fell off from the tree along with a flimsy branch. "Is it him?" Kikyou finally stood up, her brown eyes squinting; trying to make out the figure slumped indignantly on the floor. She was about to take a step towards the fallen creature, but at the moment she moved, said lump on the floor sprang to life, revealing long silver hair and a red, red getup.

"You! You're the miko that protects the Shikon Jewel, aren't you?" Kikyou openly stared at the figure that pointed a long finger – or rather claw - at her. The figure that stood in front of her was most definitely a boy; a boy who had long, somewhat unkempt silver hair, two pointy white dog ears instead of human ears, and brilliant amber eyes that shone like the sun. He was dressed in a blinding monochromatic red, treaded upon the earth barefoot, and his long fingernails reminded Kikyou of an animal's claws. He was without a doubt some sort of demon.

"Oh." Was all Kikyou could manage to utter after assessing that the silver-haired boy was not indeed the man she had mistaken him for. The aura around him was similar to Sesshoumaru's, but it was far less powerful

"What do you mean 'oh'? I asked you a question, so answer me!" The boy commanded in a loud, boisterous voice.

"You're not him." Kikyou commented absent-mindedly, feeling strangely disappointed. The wild boy-man gave her a confused glare. "Of course you could not be him. He was far too graceful while your movements are rather clumsy." She said more to herself than to the demon that grew angrier by the second.

"What the hell are you talking about, you crazy bitch!" He practically growled. "Are you or are you not the Shikon Jewel's protector?"

"I am," Kikyou replied calmly, "But tell me, what is your business here, half-demon?" Said half-demon froze in astonishment, and then his eyes hardened with contempt.

"What do you think miko?" He retorted venomously.

"I suppose you must be after the jewel to make yourself a full-demon," Kikyou instantly came up with an answer, "But I'm sorry to inform you that I won't allow it." She spoke sternly as she reached for an arrow.

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you too that I won't take no for an answer!" The half-demon stretched out his talons as if to attack, but before he could come close enough, Kikyou pinned the rebellious half-demon to the same tree he had fallen from. "Damn it! Set me free, you stupid priestess!" The half-demon struggled vainly against the arrows that kept him securely stuck to the old tree.

"The same hair, the same eyes, the same anti-social behavior. You must be Inuyasha." Kikyou spoke as she neared the helpless half-demon upon the tree.

"H-how?" Was all the bemused Inuyasha could manage to say.

"You're quite famous."Kikyou simply explained, as if it were the most obvious answer.

"Feh. Stupid miko! Once I get out of this stupid trap I'll kill you, and then I'll take the jewel." Inuyasha was still mystified as to why she had compared him to someone else, but that was not what was important, though it did gnaw at his curiousity. Kikyou did not react to his threats, and instead opted to leave the half-demon to his furious rants, but before she could make her exit, he intervened, "Where are you going? Ain't it better if you kill me now?" Inuyasha genuinely inquired. He was as helpless as the common dog – and didn't the great Miko Kikyou kill all of those who even spoke of taking the jewel?

"No."

"_No_; is that all you're gonna say - _no?_ You sure are weird!" Inuyasha mocked.

"Perhaps." Kikyou said as she began to venture out of the clearing and into the thick woods, not wishing to argue.

"Wait, damn it!" Inuyasha yelled at the top of his lungs. Kikyou didn't hesitate and continued on with her brisk walk, out of his sight. She left him to his constant complaining as she marched out.

_Inuyasha, you're very like your brother in some ways, but in others you're very unlike him,_ Kikyou thought as Inuyasha's shouts grew fainter and fainter.

**xxx**

"Now that the villagers hate us, it's been awfully quiet." Kaede commented idly as she lay upon the smooth grass of a field.

"They don't hate you, Kaede." Kikyou replied, her attention caught by the glittering Shikon Jewel. She held it in between her delicate hands, fiddling with it as she and Kaede conversed. "They only hate me."

"But how could they even believe something so stupid?" Kaede persisted with an intensity Kikyou had never truly seen in the young girl. Out of random, Sesshoumaru's visage flashed through Kikyou's thoughts and then his face morphed into Inuyasha's , causing her to drop the brilliant jewel down to the plush soft ground. "What's wrong?" Kaede inquired worriedly; sitting up from her recumbent position.

"Nothing. Just a moment of clumsiness." The elder girl assured, but truly, the vision had deeply disturbed her. A still silence accompanied Kikyou's response; Kaede didn't know what else to say and Kikyou could add nothing more to explain her sudden moment of shock. The silence had at least lasted for about ten minutes until at last Kikyou abruptly broke it. "Kaede, stand back!" She ordered as she stood up from her sitting position on the grass.

"Huh?" The girl could only say before a great red and white figure emerged from the thick foliage at the edge of the pristine, grassy clearing.

"I see you managed to get out of the subjugation spell…" Kikyou commented. Kaede gazed in awe at the smug Inuyasha.

"That's right; your little spell wasn't strong enough to contain me!" Inuyasha practically chortled with self-pride and mocking at her. "Now I'm gonna take you down and take that Shikon Jewel as a prize!"

"I don't think so." Was all Kikyou said as she reached for her long bow that lay on the floor and signaled Kaede to throw her an arrow from the quiver that lay at her side. But before Kaede could react, Inuyasha was already in flight, ready to disable Kikyou and snatch the jewel.

"But sister, this person looks like Sesshoumaru!" Kaede shouted; the poor girl was terribly confused. At Kaede's words, Inuyasha stopped his attack and stopped right before reaching Kikyou, turning to face the girl whom he had previously ignored.

"What?" The silver-haired half-demon screeched, "Who the hell did you just mention?"

"S-Sesshoumaru." Kaede obeyed, shocked as to why the dog-eared, silver-haired person seemed so furious. Inuyasha's rage grew when the girl confirmed what he had heard the first time.

"Don't you _ever_ compare me to that bastard ever again! You hear me?" Inuyasha was completely livid – _I am nothing like that bastard, absolutely nothing like him, _he reassured himself.

"I see the feeling is mutual." It was Kikyou who added in this time, on her face a nostalgic, but pretty, smile. "To think that two blood brothers could possibly hate each other." Inuyasha went red for various reasons.

"You're Sesshoumaru's brother? Wow, no wonder you look so much alike!" Kaede chimed in, acting as if Inuyasha hadn't just been about to attack her.

"_Half_-brother, damn it!" Inuyasha caterwauled, "And how the hell do you know him anyway? Don't tell me he's after the jewel, too."

"No, he was Kikyou's friend!" Kaede answered for her sister, to which Kikyou reacted by turning her eyesight downwards in slight embarrassment. _Sesshoumaru, my friend_, that didn't sound right to her.

"How could anyone be friends with that big-headed idiot? Only another big-headed idiot could be friends with him."

"Big-headed idiot, you say? Yes, perhaps I am." Kikyou replied, recalling something Sesshoumaru had said once.

_Don't get all high and mighty, Miko._

**xxx**

Kikyou had learned, through experience, that most of Inuyasha's threats were empty and were just a way for him to try to intimidate her, which of course, never worked, for Kikyou knew Inuyasha didn't have the heart to hurt her – half of the blood coursing through his veins was human, after all, and even if he did, Kikyou was sure of her own abilities to subdue him. He still spoke of stealing the jewel, and many times he had tried to do so (without hurting her, of course), but the miko always thwarted his plans, much to his great dismay. Although Inuyasha did irritate her sometimes, she couldn't help but accept, at least to herself, that she did enjoy his company; however, she did deny that the reason that perhaps she tolerated him so much was because of his uncanny resemblance to his big brother, in appearance and sometimes even in behavior. After two months of Inuyasha following her around, she learned that like his brother, Inuyasha was full of pride and tended to react violently when angered. And although Inuyasha was more rude, loud, brazen, and outspoken than his demon lord brother, their similarities were very defined. And shamefully, Kikyou clung on to the memory of Sesshoumaru by letting Inuyasha come and tag along her. Of course, she would never dare accept that she terribly missed the haughty, pure-blood demon.

"So why do the villagers act all distant towards you? Shouldn't they worship you?" Inuyasha inquired once, when an unaccompanied Kikyou was picking herbs. Despite that the villagers all detested her for her supposed romantic relationship with a demon, they all continued to depend on her for protection and for times of sickness. They knew that no other priestess was as good as she and would protect them as well as she did, so they allowed her to continue living in the village out of sheer convenience. Of course, many a time they had come to harass her, but despite it all, she withstood them, never standing off her high pedestal, but still she did not abandon them. _They're only human; it's not their fault,_ Kikyou would many times say to herself when the going was tough, forgiving them for their atrocious behavior.

"There is a reason," Kikyou began, "but it is rather inane." She said nothing more, and Inuyasha, as stubborn as he could be sometimes, realized that she didn't want to talk about it and for once just let the subject go.

"If you were such good friends with Sesshoumaru, how come he ain't shown his face 'round here?" Inuyasha changed the subject for her sake, but unknowingly, that subject was even more uncomfortable for her than the previous one.

"We weren't friends. Kaede is very naïve, so it's natural for her to assume something like that." Kikyou responded, with a slight melancholy lining her smooth voice. "But now it is my turn to ask a question, Inuyasha, why do you continue to follow me around?"

The question caught Inuyasha off guard, "Well, that's 'cause I'm waiting for you to let your guard down so I can take the Shikon jewel!" Inuyasha shot back defensively, on his boyish face a rosy-red blush. "What else for?"

"If you truly wanted the jewel, you could have taken it already." Kikyou answered back, on her countenance a knowing smile. Inuyasha grew even more flustered, his blush deepening, if that was possible. Kikyou let out a pleasant laugh – a sound she hadn't made in such a very long time, a sound that surprised her as much as it surprised Inuyasha. "Your reasons are a mystery to me, Inuyasha, but I won't press you." She finally said. She stood up gracefully, still with that little grin on her usually serious face, and made way to leave. Without thinking, the impulsive half-demon shot his hand out and grabbed Kikyou by her tiny wrist, gently of course. "Inuyasha?" She asked, completely bewildered.

"Thanks." Was his cryptic response, but seeing her puzzled expression, he added, "You know, for treating me like an actual person, and not like some kind of infectious animal." He let go of her then, obviously embarrassed at having held her wrist so long.

"You don't have to thank me, Inuyasha." Was all she said before hastily leaving. She had to leave, for she couldn't let Inuyasha see her flustered expression. Inuyasha's sincere words hadn't bothered her at all, in fact, she was thankful for them; what did bother her was the vision she saw - the vision that momentarily had made her see Sesshoumaru's amber eyes on her, his strong hand gently gripping her dainty wrist, not Inuyasha's.

Inuyasha watched her retreating form, confused as to why she had been so curt.

"Was it something I said…?" Inuyasha questioned himself, honestly trying to figure out how he had offended her. Unknown to both of them, someone in the shadows had seen the whole scene from the sidelines, running off when both Kikyou and Inuyasha left.

**xxx**

"My, my, it's been a while since I've last seen you, Jaken, and you too Lord Sesshoumaru." A tiny creature that was perched on Jaken's stubby arm spoke.

"It's nice to see you too, Ryuga." Jaken spoke for his taciturn lord of a dog demon. "Quite a coincidence too, I didn't expect seeing you here. I heard you were out traveling."

"Ah, well, you know us flea demons; always traveling the country searching for tasty blood." The little demon Ryuga laughed. "But may I ask how my great Sesshoumaru-sama is doing?"

"Everything goes well." Sesshoumaru answered offhandedly.

"Ah, good, good. Every day that passes, my lord, you resemble your great father more and more." Seeing the regal dog demon's deep scowl, he rephrased his misunderstood compliment, "I mean in terms of appearance and strength, my lord." This seemed to appease Sesshoumaru, as his scowl turned to its usual serious frown. "You know, speaking of family, I'm just remembering something my brother Myoga told me…"

"Myoga? That little flea that is searching for Inuyasha?" Jaken asked. At the mention of his younger half-brother, Sesshoumaru's scowl returned upon his countenance.

"Yes, yes, he's the one!" The little flea demon exclaimed, "Well, he's told me something that may interest you, Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru's eyes turned to focus on Ryuga, obviously curious. "Rumor has it that Inuyasha is having an affair… but not just with any woman! Oh no, supposedly, he and the great Miko of the east are on very good terms. So they say that they love each other!" Sesshoumaru's narrowed eyes turned wide at the new information. "Isn't it just pure blasphemy? Miko are supposed to be pure!"

"Miko of the east? Just who is this woman?" Sesshoumaru, for the first time, asked with genuine curiousity.

"Why, none other than the protector of the Shikon Jewel, the miko Kikyou." Ryuga spoke with great confidence in his scandalous information. Jaken gaped, while Sesshoumaru's eyes remained wide and his scowl gradually turned lethal.

"The m-m-miko K-K-Kikyou!" Jaken exclaimed in utter shock.

"Yes, do you know her by any chance?" Ryuga inquired after seeing their reactions.

"Jaken, we are leaving." Sesshoumaru's voice was strained; he felt a bubbling anger swelling up in him – an anger that was sure to overwhelm him at any moment. And what infuriated him the most was that he wasn't even so sure why he was so angry in the first place. At the moment, he was ready to _kill _Inuyasha - lusting to tear him into pieces and end his pathetic life. And Kikyou... he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with her.

**xxx**

**C. Mushroom Says: **Wow, that's gotta be my fastest update in forever - in the history of my young life!

Well, dear readers, don't be frustrated, there's more drama to come! Originally, I wasn't going to add in Inuyasha, but as the story progressed, my thought process changed to, "Why the hell not? It's not a party till Inuyasha shows up!" So yeah, he's in the story now, causing drama as always. But no worries, my lovelies, he won't be a party pooper! I've got it all planned out. :D


	19. Red

**Disclaimer: **I don't own ANYTHING.

:O

**Xx**

_**Unexpected Encounters**_

**Chapter 19: **_**Red**_

**Xx**

"The rumors have grown worse. Now they say that you're with Inuyasha." Kaede dutifully informed her blasé elder sister. "Why would they think such a thing?"

"Inuyasha is not so inconspicuous as to not be seen. Someone must have spotted him following me around." Kikyou explained flippantly, no longer concerned with the ludicrous thoughts of the mostly inane villagers. Kaede nodded in agreement and continued with her work, which at the moment was weaving a basket. The two were in their home, each preoccupied with their duties – Kaede with her basket and Kikyou constructing her lethal arrows.

"So what are you going to do? About Inuyasha, I mean." Kaede blurted out. Kikyou abruptly stopped her work; not knowing what to respond to Kaede's simple, yet difficult question. What w_as _she going to do with Inyasha? "I wonder if he knows about the rumors being spread about him." Kaede interrupted Kikyou's thought process.

"Inuyasha is an outcast; I'm sure he isn't up to date with the latest gossip. " Kikyou reasoned. "But I suppose he has the right to know what's being said about him. I'll talk to him." The raven-haired miko claimed with resolve. The eleven-year-old Kaede aptly agreed, and with a mischievous grin, added, "Say big sister, which brother do you like better?"

"Kaede, don't say such silly things!" Kikyou reprimanded after a slight pause, but Kaede swore that she saw a slight pink flush spread across her sister's usually pristine, alabaster cheeks, even if it only lasted for less than a minute.

_Of course I know that you prefer the big brother, though, _Kaede thought as she stifled a playful giggle. Although Inuyasha had managed to bring back a bit of Kikyou's pretty but rare smiles, Kaede could still sense her sister's inherent melancholy. The younger girl had speculated that Sesshoumaru, as strange and absurd as it sounded, had somehow accomplished to dispel some of that slightly gloomy demeanor that belonged to her doe-eyed sister. Kikyou didn't notice her sister's strange behavior, for she continued with her work with twice the dedication.

**xxx**

Knowing that Inuyasha would eventually show himself if she waited in a hidden place long enough, Kikyou sat at the edge of the verdant field she had seen him last, when he had grabbed her wrist and reluctantly thanked her for treating him as an equal. Her supposition had turned out to be accurate, for it hadn't been long before Inuyasha gaudily made his entrance; he leapt out of the nearby trees. "I was expecting you." Kikyou spoke evenly, her vision focused upon the Western horizon.

"Yeah, me too."

"There's something you should – " Kikyou began, but was interrupted by Inuyasha.

"Kikyou, I want to give you something!" he awkwardly blurted out all of a sudden as he reached inside his long, billowing, red sleeve. He opened his fisted hand, and there lay a delicate little seashell, which he opened to reveal red rouge. "It was my mother's. You can keep it."

"Inuyasha, I can't." Kikyou declined the offer, removing her hand away before Inuyasha could place the little shell in her palm. Inuyasha looked at her blankly, but she continued, "It's a memory of your mother. I couldn't possibly accept it." She politely rejected Inuyasha's generous and thoughtful gift.

"Go on, take it. I have no use for it." Inuyasha persisted, shoving the small seashell closer to her – pressuring her to take the only thanks he could offer for her tolerance of him. Besides his deceased mother, Kikyou was the only woman who had ever treated with anything akin to respect – she was one of the very few who did not look upon him with hatred and disgust. And although he didn't show it much, he was deeply grateful for that.

Kikyou took the rouge from Inuyasha's persistent hand when a deep, masculine voice cut in to the momentary silence, "Long time no see, _dearest_ half-brother." The voice spoke with great distaste. Kikyou didn't need to see Sesshoumaru's tall, lean figure to know that it was he who spoke; she knew that low timbre all too well.

"Sesshoumaru." She whispered through her teeth, and surely enough, Sesshoumaru entered the scene with all his pure-blood demon glory. Inuyasha growled upon his older brother's trespassing into his turf; all of the hurt and contempt he had for the elder male bubbled up to show in his expressive golden glare.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha demanded to know; his expression fierce.

"Rude as always, brother." Sesshoumaru replied with the class of a king. Sesshoumaru's voice and posture was a complete contrast to Inuyasha's – Sesshoumaru was deadly calm and stood up ramrod straight, while Inuyasha manifested absolute fury and slouched, obviously ready to spring and attack at any moment. Kikyou was paralyzed with astonishment; after all, she hadn't expected to see Sesshoumaru ever again, much less had she imagined him ever returning. And there he was, standing only a few feet away; his long silver hair blowing in the gentle breeze, looking like a glorious emperor with a look in his eye that told those around him he was ready to conquer. Conquer what? Kikyou wasn't so sure. She quickly shook those "ludicrous" thoughts out of her head and instead focused on the two quarreling brothers.

"Shut the hell up!" Inuyasha shouted loudly at the demon.

"Didn't your mother show you any manners, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru inquired, his voice disguised with a false politeness. Inuyasha only glared daggers, which prompted Sesshoumaru to continue cynically, "Oh, how very thoughtless of me. Your foolish human mother died years ago. She didn't live enough to teach you proper etiquette." Sesshoumaru's cold, unfeeling words hit Inuyasha's last nerve, as the half-demon threw himself at the taller demon. Kikyou looked on in horror as Inuyasha charged, the demon at the other end of the attack just stood there, smooth as marble, but at the last minute, Sesshoumaru maneuvered himself so that Inuyasha blatantly missed and hit an innocent tree.

"Insulting me is one thing, but insulting my mother is where I draw the line!" Inuyasha yelled as he once again charged at the elder male. Sesshoumaru once again side-stepped Inuyasha's obvious attack, and then jumped up in the air, graceful as always. Inuyasha wasted no time in following as he used the plush ground as leverage to pounce up into the air and take a swipe at Sesshoumaru, but said demon once again dodged and used Inuyasha's poor defense to slash at the younger half-demon's face.

"Too slow." Sesshoumaru stated as Inuyasha fell to the ground. Inuyasha got on his feet again and instead of charging, he dipped his claws in the wound Sesshoumaru had caused, and let out a savage battle cry.

"Blades of Blood!" Inuyasha cried, and with that, the blood he had dipped his claw in morphed into sharp razor blades advancing quickly towards Sesshoumaru, but the proud demon only leapt out of harm's way. Inuyasha, determined to prove himself, once again followed after his brother in the air and tried to jab him in the face, but the other was far too swift, and with a graceful twirl, brandished his poisonous claws and hit Inuyasha squarely in the right shoulder; Sesshoumaru was about to give Inuyasha another mighty blow, but a powerful sacred arrow intercepted him. The two blood-brothers looked down towards the direction of where the arrow had come from and there stood Kikyou, her long bow in position, her usually unperturbed eyebrows tilted in irritation.

"Stop!" Kikyou's authoritative voice rang through the clearing and the two bickering siblings landed on the ground with quiet thuds.

"This has got nothing to do with you, Kikyou! I'll beat this bastard to a pulp!" Inuyasha warned as he wiped some of the blood off his face.

"Beat me to a pulp? At this rate, you will be the one who will be beaten to a pulp," Sesshoumaru began slowly advancing towards Inuyasha, while the boy stood his ground, all the while growling like a rabid dog. Before Sesshoumaru could get close enough to attack; however, Kikyou ran and shielded the half-demon. Sesshoumaru stopped in surprise. _Then the rumors are true…? _

"Kikyou…?" Inuyasha whispered; he was just as surprised as Sesshoumaru was.

"My Inuyasha, you have sunk as low as to let a human interfere in your battles," Sesshoumaru kept his tone even, but Kikyou could sense the venom, the utter disgust hidden in his unemotional façade. And Sesshoumaru was disgusted, for he had willed himself to believe that the petite priestess was in no way emotionally involved with his worthless excuse for a brother, but her interference convinced him otherwise – she did care for Inuyasha, for why else would she defend the mutt?

"I will not have this!" Kikyou raised her voice, in her eyes a fire neither Inuyasha nor Sesshoumaru knew existed in her. She was always patience and kindness, always like calm water, maybe even ice, but never anger, never raging fire.

"Kikyou, stay out of this!" Inuyasha laid his hand on her shoulder, pushing her away, and neither noticed, but Sesshoumaru twitched, ever so slightly, as his brother's dirty claw touched the bothered Kikyou. "I'll tear you to pieces!" Inuyasha added, the threat aimed towards the inwardly fuming Sesshoumaru.

"Stop it, both of you. As long as you fight here, then this involves me too. I will not let you endanger the village because of your childish bickering." Kikyou intervened again.

Sesshoumaru scoffed, and began, "You'd still risk yourself for a village that labels you a tramp? Who hates you?" At this, Inuyasha's aggressive expression turned to one of shock and disbelief and Kikyou merely narrowed her eyes, trying to hide the hurt that threatened to show on her countenance, "You are a fool. Perhaps the most foolish of all humans."

"Don't you dare insult –" Inuyasha began to defend, but Sesshoumaru didn't let him finish as he threw his younger brother out of the way and sauntered over towards the unsuspecting Kikyou.

"Perhaps I may be a fool, but I will not shirk away my duty as priestess. Even if they hate me, their wellbeing is my responsibility." Kikyou declared with the same fire in her tone, her eyes, her poise, her expression.

"Then you accept it." Sesshoumaru stated, more than asked.

"Accept what?" Kikyou asked.

"That you are a whore," Sesshoumaru stated bluntly, "When the rumors reached my ears, I have to admit Miko, I doubted it," _Or rather, you didn't want to believe it, _Sesshoumaru's conscious, however small it was, nagged; trying to override his pride – that glorious demon pride that made him hate humans, half-demons, his brother, his father, and Kikyou_. _"But now that I see you, protecting _this_ scum, there is no doubt you are nothing but a common – " But before he could finish his slander, Kikyou raised her hand in an attempt to slap him right across his arrogant face, but of course, Sesshoumaru was too quick for her natural human slowness, and he caught her wrist. His cold, cold glower was _lethal_.

"Don't affront me, demon; I am no such thing! And unhand me!" Kikyou shouted, the fury she felt manifested itself in her sharp and blatantly livid voice. "And the reason I shot that arrow and stood in front of Inuyasha was because I was trying to defend _you_ as well! But now I hope Inuyasha does hurt you, for you, you egotistical man, are worse than _any half-demon_!" Sesshoumaru saw red when she dared to utter those nonsensical words; his macabre demon instincts tried to take over, they were calling on him to strike her, calling on him to make her pay for those venomous words of her, but something else, something powerful enough to subdue his demonic urge to kill, stopped him, and made him think that despite everything, he could not bring himself to lay a harmful hand on her, because she was Kikyou – and he hated that strong feeling, that disgusting emotion that he couldn't quite name. While inside his head he was fighting a war, outside he let out a low, sickening growl, and his eyes bordered on becoming red. Inuyasha stood absolutely paralyzed; at a complete loss as to what was happening. "Let me go!" She demanded again, and his grip merely tightened, eliciting a sharp gasp from the raven-haired Miko. And with an air of grim resolve about her, she glowered darkly at him as she unleashed a powerful blast of purification energy, stunning Sesshoumaru and causing him to retract his hand in obvious pain. Kikyou smirked; a smirk that clearly read, _You're not so untouchable now, are you?_

Without warning, Sesshoumaru zapped to her again, and instead of grabbing her wrist he grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to look up at him as he towered over her. She clutched the little seashell Inuyasha had given to her earlier, looking up at Sesshoumaru without fear, but with boiling rage. "You really shouldn't have done that, Miko." Sesshoumaru spoke darkly. The red had disappeared from his eyes, but the menace still lingered in those beautiful golden's.

"And I'd do it again." She retorted. Inuyasha awoke from his puzzled daze, as if awakening from a deep, chaotic nightmare. Without warning, the brutish half-demon leapt at Sesshoumaru, wanting to help liberate the petite woman from his brother's oppressing grasp. Sesshoumaru released Kikyou, only to grab her by the hand and drag her away from Inuyasha's reckless attack.

"Really, brother, you would jeopardize the life of your lover just to hurt me?" Sesshoumaru mocked, as he released the young woman's hand carelessly, his urge to rip Inuyasha into halves taking precedent over Kikyou's offenses.

"I am nobody's lover." Kikyou argued from behind him, instinctively fingering the little seashell, only there was no seashell in her hand, as it had fallen when Sesshoumaru had jumped out of the way and took her with him. She let out a gasp, and immediately began searching for it with her vision. And surely, it lay in the middle of the grassy clearing that had become a battlefield when Sesshoumaru had entered the scene. She inched towards it, not wanting to attract attention from either brother, but of course, Sesshoumaru's keen demon eyesight and hearing caught the dark-haired girl's attempt. He spotted the little object she so focused on, and swiftly beat her to it. He deftly nabbed it from the lush meadow, eyeing it with curiosity.

"Don't touch that!" Inuyasha shouted in alarm.

"So this is yours." Sesshoumaru stated more than asked, taking the little rouge container in between his thumb and index finger. "A trinket of your mother, I suppose. And since the Miko had it, a gift to her." The cold-hearted male conjectured, not giving the precious memoir a second thought as he crushed it under his powerful fingers.

Inuyasha watched on in horror; the little trinket, as Sesshoumaru had called it, was nothing but pieces of meaningless rubbish, and to Inuyasha, who loved his mother like no other, it was the gravest insult anyone could ever hurl at him, and the worst humiliation. Inuyasha's face was scarlet in utter, terrible wrath. The boy extended his talons, ready to shred, but Kikyou saw the futility in all of it: Inuyasha was not even close to the power held by the elder, stronger Sesshoumaru. He could easily dispose of Inuyasha, if given the chance.

"Inuyasha… don't."Kikyou whispered into the air, letting the breeze carry her words of advice and reason to Inuyasha's dog ears. Sesshoumaru smirked knowingly at the fuming red-garbed boy, because he knew; he knew that to Inuyasha, Kikyou's doubt in him was a low blow – a shame, because not even she confided in his own strength, not even she was completely on his side. Suddenly, Inuyasha fisted his hand and slammed it to a nearby tree with as much force as he could, knocking the poor old deity of the forest to the ground, reduced to nothing but waste now that it no longer stood up straight and proud.

"I'll meet you again one day, and I promise, next time I'll destroy you," Inuyasha spoke his words darkly – like a threat, to which Sesshoumaru responded only by letting out a cold, dismissive scoff.

"There won't be a next time, Inuyasha, I shall kill you now!" the need to kill the half-demon still lapping at his boiling blood; the same feeling that invaded all his senses when he had first learned of the rumors that tied the petite priestess to his bastard younger brother. But Kikyou intervened again.

"Inuyasha, go away!" She yelled at the amber-eyed pariah, while she attempted to subdue the proud Sesshoumaru by wrapping her arms around his torso. The offended Inuyasha threw one last sad glance at the fair-skinned woman, and she murmured, "I'm sorry," before the aforementioned male disappeared into the protection of the woods. Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru, although very capable of releasing himself from the priestess's weak grip, didn't move an inch; she had paralyzed him, her touch had sent a jolt of electricity through him, a jolt that he couldn't decide if he liked or not. Her clutch didn't last long, though, for she let go only seconds after Inuyasha had left. "Did you come here just to pick a fight?" Kikyou questioned; the fire in her eyes calmed, but by no means completely vanquished. Sesshoumaru merely stared down at the young woman, the anger he had felt before seemed to have dissipated,

"No," He answered, bluntly.

"Then?" She persisted, but he gave no answer, instead opting to stare at her, something akin to curiosity in his solemn gaze. Without a word, Sesshoumaru's hand shot out to grab a hold of Kikyou's chin again, to tilt her face up to look at him, but this time, he wasn't so rough, in fact, it was gentle – and Kikyou was too astonished to move. Just as quickly as it started, it ended, as he let go suddenly, walking away from her in his graceful strides.

**XX**

**C. Mushroom Says: **Hello all. I slaved on this chapter for quite a while, I did. I never imagined it'd be so difficult to write it, but this _**is**_ Sesshoumaru, and Kikyou, and to make it all the more complicated, Inuyasha too. My gosh, that was a doozy. Well, I hope you all liked it; I worked really hard on this chapter…. But trust me, next chapter everything's going to get even more tense… (coughNarakucough). So please, dear reader, leave reviews. I love them! In fact, I worked on this chapter so hard because of the kind reviews you all have left me.;)


	20. Fire and Ice

**+Disclaimer: **Uh, yeah, I don't own Inuyasha.

Now, hurry onwards! Much awaits you, oh great Reader!

**Xx**

_**Unexpected Encounters**_

**Chapter Twenty: _Fire and Ice_**

**Xx**

"Oh, I do wonder where Lord Sesshoumaru wandered off to!" The impish Jaken cried out from his spot overlooking the small village. He lay atop a hill, hidden among the shrubberies so he would not cause alarm to the busy, scurrying little humans beneath him in their flimsy huts and their fields. "I do hope that Lord Sesshoumaru has come here just because he's found the location of Inuyasha. And not because…." Jaken's voice trailed off, before he softly whispered, "He's jealous…."

A moment of long silence followed after, before the little demon burst out into guffaws of laughter. "Sesshoumaru? Jealous of Inuyasha? Because of a woman? How unseemly!" he cackled out loud, "How absurd you are, Jaken!" He laughed at his own suppositions.

"Little demon, it's you!" A child's voice interrupted his incessant chortling.

"Huh?" Jaken turned round to find the miko's brat younger sister, staring at him with something akin to joy in her eyes.

"If you're here, then that means Sesshoumaru is here too!" The child concluded, "Oh, I must tell my sister!"

"Oh no you're not, you little brat. Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't need to be bothered by the likes of you or your sister!" The imp warned the naïve Kaede.

"And why not? He came back for her!" Kaede argued, putting her small hands on her equally small undeveloped hips.

"Of course he didn't! He came back to put Inuyasha in his place!"

"Yeah, because he's probably jealous!" Kaede concluded with finality, her eyes shining in triumph, as if she was the one who benefited from Sesshoumaru's return. The reluctant Jaken; however, cringed when the girl spoke of Sesshoumaru's jealousy, for the little demon himself had suspected of it but was disinclined to admit that his lord shared a romantic interest for a woman - a human woman, at that. "See, you can't even deny it!" The little girl chided.

The two remained arguing about the aforementioned Sesshoumaru, unknowing that a third party heard their squabbling with much interest. A third party that consisted of a ruby-eyed entity.

**xx**

"Wait, Sesshoumaru!" Kikyou didn't know what compelled her to call after him, the golden-eyed prince, but she felt that if she didn't do it, she would never be able to forgive herself. To her surprise, he did stop. He didn't turn around to face her, but he stopped, which was good enough for the moment.

"What is it?"

_What is it? I don't quite know myself, _Kikyou thought to herself, trying to find any excuse to make him stay, at least for a bit longer. And then she found it - the excuse.

"Why did you do that?" She asked genuinely, finding that it was not really an excuse, but a valid question that she wanted to be answered. Why did he suddenly treat her that way, so tenderly, and then why did he suddenly look upon her with so much disgust? Why?

Sesshoumaru was speechless. He should know why he did what he did, but as he searched his mind for an explanation, he found that even he did not know the reasons for his strange actions. Kikyou, mistaking his silence for neglect, asked again, "Why did you do that? Last time, as well –"

"Forget about it." Sesshoumaru replied, his voice icy.

"I won't." Kikyou challenged, which prompted the dog demon to finally face her. "What are your intentions, Sesshoumaru? Are you here to smear what's left of my good reputation? To mock me?" She inquired sharply before continuing, "Because I will not have it." Sesshoumaru looked her over, noticing that the fiery side she had showed earlier was returning.

"I'm not here to do anything of the sort," Sesshoumaru answered, his face unreadable, as it always was, but Kikyou swore she saw a tiny twitch of his lips, but she passed it off for a trick of her mind.

"Then why do you come?" She took sure, even steps towards him, and Sesshoumaru only stared as she neared him. She looked so confident, so sure he wouldn't just leap at her and kill her; her usual lily white cheeks bore an exquisite pastel pink flush, her restrained tresses of the deepest midnight swished about her sensuously as she took graceful strides, and Sesshoumaru, still, frozen, felt the once cool air cease and in its stead came a warm wind – a warmth that was stifling and increased as Kikyou got closer and closer. "You are not the type to amble about without a purpose." She added, as she stopped her advances, only a few inches away from him. Her delicious scent hit Sesshoumaru with full force, and he tried to disguise his enjoying of it by acting as if she reeked.

"There is nothing to say." Sesshoumaru spoke, in his voice a peculiar lilt that wasn't characteristic of his usual monotone self. Kikyou gave him an odd look before stepping forward ever so slightly, inclining her head a little to look up into the eyes of the tall demon.

"Do you find yourself well?" She asked, genuinely concerned about his strange behavior.

And without warning, the demon snapped, "Can't you see that you're tempting me, miko?" Kikyou stepped back, startled by his sudden outburst.

"Tempting you?" Kikyou echoed, on her face a look of consternation, "Tempting you to do what?" Sesshoumaru appeared to be highly uncomfortable, for he was clenching his hands into fists, his eyebrows were arched and he was avoiding looking at her. "Enlighten me." She ordered tersely.

"Now, would you really like me to 'enlighten' you, as you so say, Miko?" Sesshoumaru practically hissed at the young female that was standing so close to him – _too close_ to him. "Do you really want me to demonstrate exactly _how_ you are tempting me?" And this time, it was Sesshoumaru who grew closer, and despite the awkward motion, Kikyou stood her ground, glaring up at those equally flaming amber eyes. Sesshoumaru shot out his hand to wrap his dangerously long talons around her fragile neck, and with ease, he lifted her up by the neck. Kikyou felt the tiny prickling of panic trying to invade her mind, her heart, as the tall demon lord continued to hold her in his threatening grasp. She knew that even as powerful a priestess as she was, she would be no match for him in such a vulnerable position – it just took one movement, one swift movement from Sesshoumaru, and she would be dead. He dealt the cards here. She knew he was master of her life then.

"Sesshoumaru…" She muttered weakly, hating the power he held over her, hating the triumphant smirk on his conceited face. But suddenly, his face fell into a nasty scowl.

"But the problem is," He began, speaking more to himself than to the fuming priestess he was dominating, "Is that I'm not sure whether I want to kill you… or…." He paused, his eyes widening at his words, at what he must have realized.

"Or what?" The dark-haired miko questioned, mustering up a bold bravado in her usual calm, patient voice.

"Or…" His voice trailed off, the grip on her neck loosening as he set her on the ground, his hands falling to her thin shoulders, enjoying how he could easily crush them, but also how he could caress those perfectly symmetrical shoulders; he rejoiced in the amount of power he held over her, but he also hated how that power brought disturbing thoughts to his mind. Kikyou stood still, puzzled by his change of demeanor; one moment he's bent on killing her, and the next he's staring at her with a heated gaze, relishing every perfect feature on her perfect face.

"Or what? Quit stalling, demon, and say it!" Kikyou snapped, and before she could say anymore, Sesshoumaru silenced her; placing a clawed finger up to her lips, before leaning in without warning and brushing his lips against hers. Kikyou gasped against his touch; the brushing of lips deepening into an actual kiss. Kikyou struggled at first, but the force of his touch to her virgin lips weakened her and made her legs wobble. But it didn't last long; Sesshoumaru retracted his assault abruptly, as if he had been zapped by her scorching purification power again. She put two fingers to her mouth, her eyes as wide as they could possibly be and her mouth agape in bewilderment. Sesshoumaru wore a similar expression – his eyes were open wide and his eyebrows scrunched in disgust and puzzlement. He had kissed Kikyou, he had touched a human woman, that to which he had been raised by a domineering mother to be thought of as the vilest of the vile.

_Only shameless, base demons interact with humans on "friendly" terms, Sesshoumaru,_ a memory of his mother, a refined dog demoness, sank into his mind.

_Like father? _A young Sesshoumaru had questioned after his mother's derisive assurance.

_That's right, like your father. You're a smart pup, Sesshoumaru, _The woman had concluded with a hypocritical smile plastered upon her coldly pleasant face. He had been brought up to despise all humans, no matter their social status, no matter their intelligence, no matter their physical strength – all humans and all half-demons were the same: they were lowly and detestable. But the thought that Kikyou was different from all the other vermin gnawed at his core. The thought that she was all benevolence and compassion without a trace of avarice or malice, that she was the embodiment of an unadorned and simple beauty, that she was a holder of great wisdom – of intelligence far beyond her age; those thoughts penetrated through the heavy bastion that he had been building ever since he was old enough to walk and talk, and all that work was going to waste as his barrier crumbled beneath the unintended seduction, charm, allure of the mahogany-eyed, carbon- haired, smooth-skinned and flawlessly-shaped priestess.

"What have you done to me?" Sesshoumaru snarled at the shocked Kikyou.

"I-I've done nothing!" She protested; the feel of his soft, faultless lips atop of hers still overwhelming her senses.

"Don't lie! You've bewitched me with your sorcery!" Sesshoumaru continued in his irate tone.

"I've done no such thing!" She spat back at him; snapping out of her dazed state to defend herself from something Sesshoumaru brought upon himself. "I don't understand you. First, you do something completely out-of-character, and then you take it back and get angry at me." She retorted; the flame he had sparked earlier returning to her earthen eyes. "You are utterly insufferable!" Sesshoumaru suddenly felt the impulse to have her underneath his grasp, to shut up her disparaging words with another searing kiss.

"Am I really so insufferable? Your appearance says otherwise." He said, glancing towards her uncontrollably jittery hands. She immediately hid them from his sight by obscuring them inside the long, fluttering sleeves of her haori. The color returned to her white face, and Sesshoumaru closed in on her again, as he could not contain himself as the scent of her embarrassment struck him.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kikyou gasped as he forcefully invaded her personal space to have another taste of her scrumptiously smooth mouth. The pleasurably feeling he caused overwhelmed her, causing her to momentarily lose sight of her responsibility as village Miko. It didn't take long for that responsibility to resurface, as she struggled violently against his strong grasp. With great reluctance, he pulled away aggressively, as if he was fighting against her instead of kissing her. And this time, he wasn't quite prepared for the great, harsh slap she delivered him with. "How dare you?" She berated.

"You damn m-" Sesshoumaru started, but was interjected by a ruffled Kikyou.

"Don't insult me! I am a priestess!" She chided, "I will not let you play with my emotions!" She chastised as she curtly turned around the other way and began to trample away with indignation. Sesshoumaru let her get on further before he made any attempt to reply to her harsh scolds.

"I'm not playing with any emotions, Kikyou," She froze midway through her dignified march, the sound of her name rolling off his lips paralyzing her with shock.

"Then what?" She questioned; her voice barely above a whisper. Sesshoumaru sighed, and Kikyou thought with slight amusement that that was the first time she had ever heard the usual icy demon lord expel something so human.

"I don't know why. I don't know what absurdity it is that I am feeling," He began, stoic as ever, "My actions are against my better judgment." And Kikyou directed her vision towards the ground, turning gloomy at the proud demon's words. "But I don't regret them," He concluded, letting all the reservations he held before about humans – no, Kikyou – lift from his mind and just let them _burn_ in the evening sky. Kikyou once again switched directions as she turned around to face the platinum-haired demon again.

"What?"

"You heard." He reiterated, "But the question is: do you regret?" Kikyou once again looked towards her sandaled feet, as she thought about what she had just experienced with the aristocratic dog demon. Was it unpleasant? _No, it wasn't, _she admitted to herself, _It was… breathtaking? Exhilarating? But these feelings, could they be…?_

"I don't." She finally replied, as she moved her head to stare up at Sesshoumaru, the corners of her mouth lifting up to give the demon a slight smile.

_Do I…?_

**XX**

"Oh my," A woman's voice sneered, "When I placed that curse on her, I'd never imagined this." It was Tsubaki, and she was snickering at the scene that played out in one of her enchanted mirrors. The newly-born demon Naraku was at her side, glaring at the impudent woman beside him. The two were at an abandoned shrine deep in the forest, using Tsubaki's mirror to observe the scene between Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. Naraku was outwardly fuming, _How dare he? How dare he touch what is mine?_

"The great priestess Kikyou, infatuated with a demon!" Tsubaki continued with her sinister sniggers. "Oh, how deliciously ironic! Soon she will suffer from my revenge!" The dark priestess persisted with her malicious comments, all the while trying to get a reaction from Naraku.

"Silence!" Naraku burst; tired of her ceaseless chatter, "And what does your revenge consist of, woman?"

"Death, of course," Tsubaki answered certainly, "What else?" But Naraku did not reply to her answer with words, instead he roughly seized her by the neck and attempted to choke her.

"You will not kill her," Naraku spoke threateningly, "your revenge will consist of aiding me to claim her. Wouldn't that be punishment enough? She will have to spend the rest of her life with me."

"N-Naraku!" Tsubaki wheezed as she flailed against his fierce iron grip.

"She will spend an eternity with me! I will use the jewel so that she will become ageless, like me. For what good will it be if Kikyou got old and I remained young? Surely my appetite for her would cease after the first sign of aging. Yes, my lovely Kikyou will be beautiful always, and my desire for her will never dwindle. She will be mine!" Naraku prattled on like a madman, a sickening smile on his pale face. Tsubaki only kept coughing, trying to release herself from Naraku's violent grasp. As he continued to think of his future life, he tossed the woman aside, losing interest in harming her and gaining more interest in what he would do to Kikyou once she was his. "And she will hate me, I know she will. She will be disgusted by me. But that corrupt look in her eyes… It's going to give me great pleasure, because I will be the one to taint her!" And after that he let out a menacing cackle.

Tsubaki could only gawk as the raving demon paced around the tiny shrine; cursing the dog demon who had touched what rightfully belonged to him, and occasionally speaking of how Kikyou would be his and his alone. _I do wonder sometimes if he is insane, _Tsubaki mused, _He's like an animal… But he will undoubtedly make Kikyou severely unhappy. And what worse fate than being defiled by a disgusting half-demon?_

"You are right. I shall assist you in taking her. Having to live with you is sufficient revenge." The dark priestess declared, absently rubbing the scar she had obtained from when Kikyou had deflected her attack.

"Glad you see things my way." Naraku proclaimed darkly.

"But first we need to get rid of that demon of hers." Tsubaki reasoned, "And he's no easy foe. He is a demon lord, after all."

"Ah, but don't you see? We have to target the small fry first before we can even go near that demon." Naraku explained.

"So then his little demon servant?"

"No, Tsubaki. Someone far more valuable." Naraku's ominous red eyes glowed with evil.

"Oh?" Tsubaki replied dubiously, while Naraku turned to glance at the dark priestesses's enchanted mirror, observing the heartwarming scene with wickedness.

_Yes, Kikyou, you _will_ be mine._

**XX**

"Stop, you foul little girl!" Jaken chased after the agile Kaede, constantly tripping over tree roots, stray rocks, and his own little feet. He had considered using his staff to stop the kid's pursuit, but decided against it in case it would anger his graceful Lord Sesshoumaru.

"Stop following me!" Kaede cried out. "I have to find Kikyou! I've got to tell her Sesshoumaru's back!" She added.

"Whether he's back or not is none of her business!"

"Uh, yes it is! He is a demon, and big sister needs to know of all demons that cross this village's borders." Argued Kaede. The young girl smiled as she saw the figure of her sister sitting in the clearing ahead.

"Big sister!" Kaede called as she stumbled through the tree roots and stray bushes and entered the clearing. Kikyou turned her head to find her little sister panting in exertion. "I have something to tell you! Sesshoumaru's -" She skipped, but froze in embarrassment when she realized that only a short distance away from her elder sister sat the regal Sesshoumaru. "Back." She finished meekly. Said demon lord merely scoffed at the little girl's intrusion, brushing her off with indifference.

"Kaede..." Kikyou whispered; a light pink flush forming on her face.

"You brat!" Jaken's voice cut through the akward scene. He was about to rebuke the kid's efforts, only to fall quiet in the presence of his great master. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" He squawked in surprise.

"Jaken. Leave now." Sesshoumaru commanded, not even rewarding the little imp with a glance as he had the troublesome girl.

"Yes, m'lord." Jaken bowed; his efforts once again dismissed with coldness.

"Kaede, have I not warned you that the forest is a dangerous place? Please, head home. I'll be there in a while." Kikyou smiled at her younger sister, and Kaede bowed obediently, running off with a short bow in hand. Jaken and Kaede trotted side by side, leaving their respective "caretakers" to be alone.

Before going their separate ways, Kaede gave Jaken a knowing smile before whispering, "I told you so." And with that, the short girl ran off back to the village, leaving a sighing Jaken alone to ponder his lord's strange behavior.

**XX**

**C. Mushroom Says: **And that was it, the awaited moment! It was not a confession, in fact, poor Sesshoumaru's still confused. And Kikyou… Ah well, she's a little confused about her feelings too, though she is closer to understanding them than Sesshoumaru. Can you believe it? It took twenty chapters for them to kiss! Unbelievable for a story that is labeled as "romance", eh? Perhaps it really doesn't fit in the "romance" category. Ah well, it just takes that MUCH time for Sesshoumaru to "sort-of" warm up to someone. XD

My birthday just recently passed. So want to know what would make me very happy? That's right, you guessed it: REVIEWS! Again, I was madly grateful for the kind reviews you've all left me (though I'm greedy and I want more. :/) and so I started trying to get into Inuyasha again, just so I could get this story back on the road again. I watched the episode of Kikyou's death and Rin's pseudo-death, and I was a crying mess. Well, I better stop with my rambling. Thanks for reading.


	21. Blood

**Disclaimer: **That's right, I still don't own Inuyasha.

**XX**

**Chapter 21: Blood**

**XX**

As she had promised Kaede, Kikyou did not wait long to bid Sesshoumaru farewell and head on back to the village, where she knew Kaede waited; the child probably restlessly pacing around the small area that their homely abode covered. Kikyou knew that her young sibling would attack her with a barrage of questions about the graceful dog demon the moment she crossed the threshold of their home and the outside world. Kikyou sighed at the thought. She had never been opposed to her younger sister's company, but this night, Kikyou knew, she would rather not have to deal with anybody's curiosity. Even though she had admitted to Sesshoumaru that she did not feel regret, her mind was still a tumultuous mess. She wasn't sure of Sesshoumaru's intentions, if he had any at all, and she wasn't quite sure what she felt about the whole situation either – and that wasn't even the core of all her confusion. She constantly asked herself, "Just what in the world is my relationship to Sesshoumaru?"

He had kissed her, and she hadn't rejected him, but didn't such physical gestures pertain only to lovers? Were they, then, lovers? Those two thoughts gnawed at her mind like unrelenting parasites. There was still another question that still lingered in the corners of her mind, but she refused to let it come to light, because deep inside, she knew the answer to that particularly disturbing question.

"Sister!" Kikyou's thoughts were broken when Kaede's voice had intruded upon her reflections. As if coming out of a daze, Kikyou blinked and scanned her surroundings. She was back in the hut where she and Kaede resided; she had been so lost in her reverie that she hadn't noticed that she had gotten back already and had slid through the entrance. "Sister," the expression on young Kaede's face was exuberant, and Kikyou had not the heart to dismiss the onslaught of questions that would surely come from the younger girl, but to her grand surprise, Kaede did not even utter a single word, and instead gave her elder sister a toothy smile. To such an affectionate display of tenderness, Kikyou did not know how to respond, except look on at the girl in subtle confusion. "It's late, sister. I think I will go to sleep early tonight." Kaede interrupted the silence, still with that enigmatic smile on her youthful face.

"… I see. Goodnight, Kaede."

"Goodnight, big sister." Kaede replied, but before laying on the futon, she whispered so softly that not even the priestess heard, "Be happy, Kikyou."

XXX

Kikyou awoke to the chirps and chimes of the birds outside. She guessed that she must have woken up even earlier than usual, as the glow of the morning light was a surreal white. She turned over on her side to find her sister peacefully asleep on the futon beside her, the girl's mouth slightly agape in deep slumber. Soundlessly, Kikyou arose from the futon on the floor, like a ghost rising from its grave. After adjusting her priestess garb and fastening her hair back with her usual white hair tie, Kikyou wasted no time in ghosting off away from the little cottage, and into the fresh air of the outside. She sauntered towards the direction of where she knew the waterfall was located. On her face there was a blank expression – the face of one who let the body guide her actions, not the mind. Kikyou had never really been one to act spontaneously; she would always calculate and analyze her actions before she performed them, but this time, she just ambled about to wherever it first occurred for her to go, and on that pale morning, the destination was the waterfall in the village's surrounding forest.

It took a while before she could hear the soothing whirr of the waterfall; the rumble immediately putting the priestess's confounded mind at ease. But as the waterfall became clear in her line of vision, the hodgepodge from before assailed her vulnerable mind. The waterfall held many memories for her; many of them about her perplex "friendship" with the demon Sesshoumaru, if indeed their encounters could be counted as ones of "friendship". Her befuddled mind was beginning to throb.

The throbbing resembled stabbing when she sensed Sesshoumaru's presence nearby.

"Sesshoumaru." Kikyou's voice rose through the gurgle of the cascade, and without fail, said demon lord stepped out from among the foliage.

"You've only just sensed me now?" Sesshoumaru's sharp tone cut through all other noises, and Kikyou just stared at him – completely dumbfounded. "That expression doesn't flatter you at all, priestess."

"What do you speak of? Do you mean to say that…" Kikyou paused, taking time to process his words, "you've followed me?" The tall demon gave a flippant "hmmph" in indignation. He knew that he had stalked her, but it sounded so indecorous when she said it. To think that Sesshoumaru, mighty lord of the Western Lands had fallen to such a disgraceful act – spending his time following around a human. "You manifest displeasure, but you do not deny your actions. But how strange that I should not detect your aura beforehand…"

"Keep letting your guard down and soon you will fall prey to vermin." Sesshoumaru changed the subject back to criticize her. "Even filthy human bandits can easily take advantage of you as you are now. Unarmed and distracted." At his mention, Kikyou felt herself gasp in surprise. She hadn't realized that she had forgotten her handy bows and arrows; Sesshoumaru was completely right. Kikyou didn't need her bows and arrows for her spiritual powers, but if the enemy came in large numbers to assail her, she would be in grave danger. "It would be an easy feat to kill you now, Kikyou."

"Perhaps," Kikyou spoke, a thoughtful expression on her face, "But if your intention was to kill me, then you would have done so already." She pointed out logically, "And it's not like you to dawdle." She added, giving the demon a smug smile. Sesshoumaru flinched at her action; the prickling of annoyance prying at his skin. Annoyance for what? At her conceit? No, at the fact that she knew that if he wanted to, he would have killed her long ago – that she could have been nothing but a rotting corpse had he the will to do so. But now she knew. She knew that he lacked the desire to kill her. The desire that he had forced himself to believe had existed in him all along; that he was just waiting for the opportune moment to strike, but no, that desire lay defunct deep inside the darkest crevice of his mind and was replaced by the shameful yearning to be in her presence. But most of all, he longed for the circumstances to be different. Why could she have not been given the honor of being born a demon? She no doubt deserved it, for she was a powerful woman who had a great mastery of the emotions which render so many of humans weak.

But despite all of her strengths, she was still a human – a measly, weak little human. Could intelligence cancel out inborn frailty? Could innate beauty dispel the ugliness that an early old age would give her? Such troubling thoughts disturbed Sesshoumaru's once stress-free psyche.

"Had you been born a demon," Sesshoumaru started, letting thoughts spill from his mouth, "You would have made a good mate."

The young woman standing across from the demon lord felt her mouth go slack in bewilderment. She let her vision stray downwards before meeting his eyes and letting out a meek "W-What?"

"We're at a close enough distance so that even your human ears can operate." He reverted back to his insults, which contrary to logic, sent that little inkling of fire in her heart to peter out into a feeling of gloom and hopelessness. At the sad look in her eyes, Sesshoumaru's feelings stirred, "But if even despite the close range, your poor human hearing did not catch what I said, then I shall repeat it to you: if you had been given the merit of being born a demon, you would have made an… acceptable mate."

"My poor human hearing heard 'a good mate' the first time." Kikyou countered back, a glorious grin on her usually steely façade. To Kikyou's wit, Sesshoumaru had no response, except to silently respect her above-average human cleverness.

XXX

Kaede awoke unceremoniously to the absence of her elder sister. The absence of Kikyou, however, did not deter her, as she was used to the older woman leaving before her when she had things to do. But the question was, what was she to do?

"Hmm, I should probably go practice my archery! If I am to become a priestess one day, I have to be a master archer like Kikyou!" The little girl proclaimed with great determination. "Sister Kikyou is the best, I have to try and be as great and skilled as she!" The child giggled quietly before grabbing the short bow her sister had made her along with the quiver of arrows that lay at the corner of the shack. With much gusto, the child skipped out of the hut and ran along the dirt path that led to the forest. Her makeshift "archery range" was really just a bunch of trees at the edge of the woods in which she had made little carvings on the trees for targets. The destination was close to the village on account of Kikyou's assurance that going any deeper would spell danger for a young girl such as Kaede. A short walk, or rather skip, was all that it took to reach Kaede's little practice ground.

XXX

"Had I been born a demon?" Kikyou recited, her eyes closed as she leaned against a tree comfortably. Sesshoumaru, standing a short distance away, refused to sit, as he preferred to look down at her, as a method of reassuring his superiority. "I just wish I had been born a normal woman." Such a comment caught the tall demon's interest: what exactly did she mean by "normal"? Kikyou must have noticed the slight twitch of his eyebrows, for she explained further, "I've always wished to be free of my role as priestess. Free of my role as protector of the Shikon Jewel."

"But without your title as priestess you would be… powerless and just like any other defenseless human." Sesshoumaru pointed out, questioning her sanity. Who would willingly give up their superiority to be just a regular human being?

"Indeed, I would be rendered useless," Kikyou began, finally opening her eyes, "But I would be free of burden – free to be how I want to be. Free to do whatever I want."

"You could be free now." Sesshoumaru stated. "You could run off and never come back."

"I could run off, yes, but my decision would hurt the lives of many. These villagers depend on me, rely on me. If I shirked my duties, many would suffer because of one rash decision." Kikyou explained. "I cannot do that…"

"I will never understand your devotion to that idiotic bunch of villagers." The tall dog demon harshly rebutted.

"You're a demon; of course you wouldn't understand human attachment." She sighed.

"No, any ordinary despicable human would have felt the need for vengeance and left them to their own damnation." Sesshoumaru began spitefully, "And a demon would have killed them all for their insolence." Sesshoumaru finished with the same cold steel edge to his tone.

"I must be a despicable human too. For forgiving them."

"No, no you're not."

XXX

"I wonder what Kikyou thinks of my archery?" Kaede wandered aloud after a particularly good shot at a tree. She looked to her sister with such devotion that even in her absence the child would speak of the young woman she respected so much. The girl was about to reach for another arrow when she realized, "But if she were here, she'd probably point out how slowly I load my bow. No doubt I'd be in trouble if I couldn't load my bow before the enemy attacked." And with a look of determination, the young girl quickly reached her hand to her back to grab an awaiting arrow only to fumble about as the arrows almost purposefully separated to spite her. Kaede grumbled before she attempted again, this time achieving the feat, only to scrabble as she tried to position the weapon securely on the bow. She was about to try again when a shrill scream interrupted her. Kaede stumbled on her feet as more screams filled the once hollow, silent air. "What in the world?" It wasn't long before Kaede could hear fast thuds coming her way. It was a young male villager, his eyes wild and his breathing hard.

"Kaede, y-your sister!" The young man cried, "Where is she?"

"I-I don't know. Is something wrong?"

"The village is under attack by demons! We need Kikyou." Normally, Kaede would have corrected the young man in referring to Kikyou without her title and then gone about scolding him for having the gall to ask for help after shunning her, but the desperate look on his face and the ominous screams were enough to convince her something was horribly wrong.

"I don't know where she is but she can't be far! She must be coming back now!"

"We should go looking for her anyway, just in case." And he bolted out towards the forest, all the while screaming Kikyou's name like a madman. Kaede stood there for a moment, trying to think of where her sister would most likely be. Kaede quickly came up with a destination as she began to run along the forest that lay tangent to the little village, making sure not to leave the safety of the shadows.

"Kikyou!" Kaede yelled, screaming as loud as she could, her short legs shuffling as fast as they could; the screams of the villagers and the laughter of the demons fueling her adrenaline. She could hear the thumping of her heart, sounding like the unsteady pounding of a taiko drum over the chaos – the chaos that consisted of sinister screeches, hysterical caterwauls, and uncontrollable sobs. But amidst the pandemonium, Kaede could only hear the screams of humans, not the whooshing of purification arrows or the cries of humiliated demons as they fall to their deaths. The sound of hope was silent. _Oh sister, where are you? Do you not hear the pain of the villagers?_

"My, what a sneaky little girl you are… Thinking you could just run away in the forest." A burly demon monster bellowed, intercepting the young girl's path and making her trip over the roots of the nearby trees. The girl rapidly got to her feet, clumsily snatching an arrow and setting it upon her bow.

"Take a step closer and I'll kill you!" Kaede warned, suppressing her instinct to scream at the top of her lungs. The demon only cackled, but his chortle stopped short as an arrow embedded itself in his chest. Kaede took advantage of the demon's shock to continue on with her run. "Kikyou!" Kaede screamed again, this time tears running down her eyes; the blood-curdling screams of people she had known all her life reverberated in her ears.

XXX

"If the Shikon Jewel did not exist, then there would be no need for miscreants to terrorize these people." Kikyou commented. "If it could disappear, then any other priestess could take over if I left. I would be _completely free_." _Completely ordinary_, she added inwardly. Sesshoumaru said nothing, he just sat there across from her, looking like a king. His stare was scrutinizing, but it wasn't that usual patronizing glare, Kikyou noticed. It was almost as if he was actually trying to understand her – to look past his stance on it and see why in the world would anyone desire to be weaker, which she thought was rather odd, considering Sesshoumaru was as stubborn as a mountain and only saw things his way. She found herself feeling a little honored, in a twisted sort of way, as he was the closest thing to royalty she would probably ever know. "Obviously, the jewel can't just be destroyed. It's not that easy. But if someone were to make an unselfish wish the Shikon Jewel would be purified and would cease to exist."

"Why don't you wish to be a normal woman, as you say?" Sesshoumaru suggested.

"If I were a demon, I'd make a good 'mate'." Kikyou rephrased Sesshoumaru's earlier statement.

"What?"

"That's what you said." She reminded, her gaze looking beyond Sesshouamaru's head and into the distant sky. "A normal woman wouldn't make a good companion, but a demon woman would."

"Become a demon." Sesshoumaru asserted, his golden eyes fixing themselves on her perfect countenance, imagining that wondrous scent of hers without the pesky twinge of human stink. He knew it was absurd to desire a human woman; to long for the constant company of anybody. He had never needed anybody before – not his mother, nor father, nor brat half-brother, and certainly not any species of woman. But he found himself obsessing over the priestess. Obsessing over the idea that _she _would be the one to be his life-long partner. He could not imagine ever wanting that from any demon woman he'd ever met. He's always thought of a mate for one reason and one alone: to sire his offspring who would carry on his prestigious dog demon bloodline, but certainly not to spend his days with her, whoever she might be.

"Sesshoumaru," Kikyou broke the brief moment of silence, "If I were to wish that, the jewel wouldn't disappear and –" She stopped herself, a question she had been wanting to know the answer to since his reappearance spilled out instead, "Sesshoumaru, what are we?"

_Indeed, what are we?_

"Are we acquaintances, friends, lo-?" But she did not finish as Sesshoumaru suddenly shot up from his spot across from her, Kikyou taking a stand as well from the sheer surprise of his own abrupt movement. "What's wrong?"

"It is better if you do not ask." Sesshoumaru said, his clawed hand jutting out to grab an unsuspecting Kikyou's chin.

"Is it because you don't know it either?" Kikyou persisted, "…Or is it because you are afraid of the answer?" She daringly asked, her eyes holding no fear; no worry that he could kill her right then and there. That look in her eyes, was that the look of trust that never once Sesshoumaru had ever received? Or was that shameless, impudent daring? Sesshoumaru was torn between the answer. And that was just the question of that fierce look in her earthen brown eyes. The question she had asked was just as discomforting.

_Am I mad? Such a question should have an obvious answer… 'Absolutely nothing exists between us, you shameless, filthy human.' But I cannot bring myself to say it, _Sesshoumaru pondered, his grip becoming looser on her face – her pretty, attractive face. A face he could not bring himself to crush between his claws – to exterminate. It was a face he only felt the desire to touch.

And slowly, he began leaning into that virginal visage of pure white, innocent brown, and contrasting black. Kikyou merely gazed at him from under heavy eyelashes, her mind screaming at her that everything about her strange relationship with the demon was wrong. That it was ludicrous that she, Kikyou the righteous priestess, had strong feelings for the proud dog demon, Sesshoumaru. Yes, he was arrogant, gruff, and a demon - the natural predator of a human - but something, _just something_, made that all okay. He was handsome in his humanoid body, intelligent, stable, and in a way, Kikyou saw herself in Sesshoumaru. They were both kindred spirits, in a way – born into a special role, have the ability to kill, and taught to suppress emotions.

_Do I – _

But Kikyou didn't get the chance to complete her thought, for Sesshoumaru yanked away rapidly, snapping the young woman from her reverie. His face did not manifest disgust or anything of the type, but rather it showed curiosity as he sniffed at the air. She thought then how much he looked like a dog then; sniffing at the air with an inquisitive nose and turning round to listen to the sounds of his surroundings. But it wasn't the type of dog that Inuyasha reminded her of; no, it was an elegant dog, if such a thing existed. She was about to ask him what so caught his attention when he answered before she could even formulate the question into words.

"Blood." He said tersely, his eyes narrowing as he sniffed some more.

"Blood?"

"Yes, it smells of blood. Human blood." He stressed, "A lot of it." Sesshoumaru turned his ice-gold stare to her, and lowly, he said, "The stench of lowly demons is present as well. And I can hear screams." Kikyou's eyes widened, and with sudden horror, she felt the malicious auras of hungry demons crash into her senses. How had she not detected them before? With a slow step backwards, she suddenly turned around rapidly and leapt into a fast sprint. Sesshoumaru was taken aback by the sight at first; for he had never seen the usual calm and collected priestess demonstrate such terror before. As soon as he shook off his initial astonishment, he easily caught up to her with his super-powered inhuman speed. He easily cut her off, sending her stumbling into him - another rare occurrence, since the woman usually had an impeccable balance.

"What are you doing? Are you in league with them?" Kikyou shouted desperately.

"No." He said simply, as he stretched out his hand, "But I will humble myself to offer you the opportunity to get to your little village faster. You're too slow."

With a look of gratitude, the priestess placed her small hand in Sesshoumaru's large claw, "But first take me back to my home. I need my bow and arrows." Sesshoumaru merely nodded as he placed her on his back with ease, and without warning, sped towards her small abode.

_How could I have let my guard down?_

XXX

**C. Mushroom Says: **Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry. Again, I am a horrible person for delaying this chapter for so long! This will all be over in a few chapters though, and I am furiously typing away as fast as I can to get this done and over with!


	22. Battlefield

**XXX**

**Unexpected Encounters**

**Chapter 22: Battlefield  
**

**XXX**

There were only a few men with even an inkling of bravery fighting against the enemy, but even with such courage, their strengths combined were not enough to deter the assault of the demons. Most of the villagers ran a muck, trying to stall their imminent doom or at least trying to make some time until someone came to save them. Many had already died at the hands of the demons, but the shred of hope left in their hearts still rung. Hope had not been lost.

"Isn't there a village of demon slayers somewhere?" One boy whispered to a sister, the duo concealed in the treetops.

"There is. But we would all die before they got here!" The elder girl gasped out, tears escaping her eyes in light of their terrible situation. "Where is our priestess?"

"You don't think they've got her?" The boy asked in horror, "I don't think Lady Kikyou would ever abandon us. She's either fighting demons or dead!"

"Or off with her demon lover!" Just as the young woman finished her hushed exclamation, a blur of white passed by the pair of siblings, ruffling about the leaves on the tree and silencing both of them. The blur stopped further ahead to reveal none other Sesshoumaru and Kikyou, the latter of the two fully armed with her long bow and arrows.

"Thank you," Kikyou began, "I can handle it from here." And she stepped forward bravely, bow armed and ready to attack. With swift steps she came out of the forest and into the village, where the demons had already begun to sense her powerful aura and gathered to where she was. There was a hush then; the wailing villagers grew quiet and the demons quit their chortling to analyze the incoming threat. There was a wave of anxiousness that washed through both sides.

Without even a single mutter of warning, Kikyou hastily got to work – her nimble hand loading arrow after arrow, purifying as many demons as she could, but with a feeling of dread, she realized that what once took her one arrow to purify, took two, if not more: her spiritual powers were muted, the cause of which worried her.

The villagers began to cheer and some even cried at the wonderful relief that coursed through them – their once panic-stricken expressions turning into facades of relief and joy. Nobody noticed the great strain Kikyou's long-awaited purge placed on her petite body. The young female shot her deadly arrows at the approaching demons; her aim never faltering, but she could not keep all of them at bay, as she ducked and dodged their attacks with a speed nobody knew she had ever possessed. Exhaustion was written all over her - the sweat, the slight arch in her back, the quiet panting.

Most of the villagers began to disperse out of the battlefield, with only the bravest and toughest of men staying behind the brave priestess trying to swat away at lesser demons. Sesshoumaru, whom observed the scene from the shade of a nearby tree, was the only one who could detect the fatigue on the young woman's face. He was no fool; he knew that even she, the great protector of the Shikon Jewel, would fall if the army of miscreants did not dissolve soon. And without much of a thought, the powerful lord of the west jumped into the battle, swiping a dozen demons to death with a single swish of his claw, causing the few mortals in the view to gape in awe at the strange man's cooperation, Kikyou included.

"If their numbers do not diminish, all will perish. Including you." Sesshoumaru's voice rang over the snarls of disbelief of the demons, over the gasps of the humans. The demon took a few stepped towards her and whispered into the stillness so softly, that of all the humans, only she heard, "And I cannot allow that."

Kikyou looked straight at him for only a fraction of a second, but in just that glance, all her confusion was swept away; like a violent sway of the wind that makes off with a weak flame, she came to the conclusion she had known all along, but was to afraid to admit. The blur of her feelings was healed within a single moment – Kikyou was in love with him. Kikyou loved Sesshoumaru. And she could not deny it any longer; the feeling had grown too fat from feasting upon all other emotions that lay within her heart, even going as far as to devour her once keen logic.

And with such a clear conclusion, she was able to accept it, stifle it, and get her mind back into the battle. She shot her loaded weapon into the crowd of demons without mercy. Sesshoumaru decimated their numbers easily with his poisonous claws.

"There is no need to endanger yourselves, flee! I have things under control now." Kikyou commanded the remaining group of villagers, and with quick bows of gratefulness, the young men scuttled away, leaving only Sesshoumaru and Kikyou to fight the remaining onslaught of demons.

Sesshoumaru didn't usually pay heed to the complaints and whines of the beings he was exterminating, but as he fought mercilessly, his elevated hearing caught a most interesting dialogue.

"What the hell is going on? That Jaken demon said it was going to be easy!"

"He lied to us, that bastard!"

"He didn't say anything about that demon guy! We're all doomed!"

_Jaken? Have my ears failed me or did I hear correctly? But that doesn't make any sense, _Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he fought at the same time, never once losing his grace, _Jaken acting without my consent. _

"Damn!"

Kikyou's out-of-character cry snapped Sesshoumaru out of his cogitation. With his peripheral vision, he saw the priestess cringe as she held her left shoulder in pain; the crimson red blood tainting her pure white haori - the virgin white skin he knew lay underneath, and it drove him mad. To think that anyone would dare mar her in his presence. It was sickening.

Without much of a thought for anything but killing, Sesshoumaru slashed at another large group of demons – that unemotional glare never leaving his sharp features. All the while Kikyou bit down the pain and reassembled herself into her battle stance. The two warriors did not relent – soon what had begun as a whole army of low-grade demons became but a mere sprinkling of injured creatures trying to reclaim their previous glory. The few that remained were among the toughest, but still they were no match for Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. With a few more slashes and arrows, the threat of the demons would subside completely. It was when Sesshoumaru and Kikyou were down to the last two menaces; however, that the duo paused their counterattack; both alarmed by the ungodly wailing of a child in extreme pain. Kikyou let her bow slide out of her hand in horror.

There were a slew of villagers that had up until then, been crowded around something off to the far right of the battlefield. Through the confusion of the cries of the demons, Kikyou had not been able to hear what all the fuss was about and had instead dedicated her focus on the mêlée, but now the villagers had parted to reveal a child lying in the middle, her bloodied orange yukata in tatters.

It was Kaede.

Kikyou forgot all about the remaining two demons as she ran to her sister, leaving Sesshoumaru to easily finish off the threat.

"Sister! I'm sorry! I couldn't protect everyone!" The young Kaede cried as she saw her sister approach; trying to control the wails that threatened to escape her mouth.

"Kaede, what happened to you?" Kikyou's voice fluctuated in fear, shame, and guilt. She immediately crouched down to hold the child in her arms, staring at the young girl's left hand, which covered her eye, where blood spewed out languidly. _If it's just her eye, then the wound shouldn't be fatal, _Kikyou mused, before her vision strayed down to where the blood was most prominent on Kaede's body. A wave of raw remorse hit the elder woman as she become conscious of the dreadful wound on Kaede's torso.

"She tried to fight alongside us." One somber man replied, Kikyou recognized him as one of the men who had tried hold off the demons before she had arrived. "Forgive us," He spoke, the despair of failure etched unto his face, "We failed to protect her from harm." He finally finished, giving an apologetic bow.

"I've told you many times – " Kikyou began to scold, only Kaede's sad expression stopped her from continuing. "Please, leave us," Kikyou addressed the villagers huddled around them, "I shall begin to tend to the wounded, but first let me speak with my sister." With an air of gloom, the crowd dispersed, all walking off slowly to the wreck that was once their home, making sure to avoid the strange, silver-haired man standing off to the sidelines.

"Kikyou, I'm so sorry…" The young girl's voice began to wane, lacking the energy to shout, yell, or cry, but still it was enough to enable the young girl to deliver non-stop tears. "I-I couldn't stop them… I'm so useless." The girl continued to mutter, the tears making pathways down the dirt and blood that was caked on her face. "I'm sorry…"

"Kaede, you have nothing to be sorry about. If anybody has to apologize, it is me. Forgive me, little one, I am a horrible sister." Kikyou spoke tenderly, her eyes full of sorrow, regret, despondency. Sesshoumaru stood still off to the side where he had killed the last of the demons, and that was where he had planned to stay, but the grief in Kikyou's words beckoned him to come forward.

"No, big sister, you don't need to be sorry…" Kaede coughed as some of the blood from her eye trailed into her mouth. Kikyou cradled the child deeper into her chest, stroking her disheveled mass of hair comfortingly. Sesshoumaru remained composed, only the slight incline of his eyebrows the only indication of any sort of compassion for the young sisters entwined in each other's arms. The blood of their wounds combined, Kaede's gashes bleeding more profusely than Kikyou's single shoulder wound, and for a moment, Sesshoumaru thought them to be one, white cheek to white cheek, black manes combining to form one mass of long, ebony hair – it was a strange sight, and a heart-wrenching one at that. "K-Kikyou, I'm dying…" The young girl spoke softly, her lips trembling with a fresh new onslaught of tears.

"No, Kaede, I won't let you die…" Kikyou's voice wavered in pitch like never before, her eyes shimmering in accordance with the great ache in her chest. "You won't die…" Kaede said nothing, she just let the tears roll down from the eye that wasn't injured. "We must go back to our home, and there I shall restore you to health." Kikyou spoke softly, looking as if she truly believed those words, as if Kaede's fatal injuries could indeed be cured, but even Sesshoumaru knew it – the futility of it all; the child was going to die of blood loss and if she managed to stay alive for even a few days, in the end, he was sure she would just die of infection. Kikyou made an effort to carry the child up into her arms and begin to stand, but she was in no state to exert such force, as she quickly kneeled on the ground again, hissing at the pain of trying to use her arm. The young priestess tried again, but once she failed to hold the child again, she let a few tears escape from her molten brown eyes – knowing her poor sister's horrible fate. "Oh, what have I done?"

Normally, being witness to such tragedy never once triggered anything akin to feelings of pity or compassion, but as Kikyou's resolved weakened, Sesshoumaru felt furious, and deep down, he even felt pity. Pity for the girl who was powerless to stop her own pathetic death. Fury at the demons who had committed something worse than the murder of Kikyou: they had killed her spirit, her strength.

Swallowing his pride, Sesshoumaru was about to stoop down to carry the ravaged girl off the ground, but before he could complete the action, a voice cut through the sounds of sobs and sniffles, "J-Jaken! Y-You liar…" Both adults snapped their heads towards the sound to find Jaken emerging into the scene, a dying demon calling out to him from among the rubble.

Jaken ignored the moribound demon, turning his attention to the regal Sesshoumaru before squawking irritably, "L-Lord Sesshoumaru, I am so confused!"

"What are you talking about, Jaken?"

"You l-liar! You never said that death awaited us here…" The demon continued to whine.

"Jaken, what does that vile creature speak of?" Sesshoumaru persisted, his searing gaze on the little demon, "He speaks as if you were involved in this."

"B-But, m'lord, of course I was! Why do you seem so angry?" Kikyou's eyes blazed behind Sesshoumaru's own fuming stare. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Don't be a fool, Jaken, you've acted on your own account. Must I remind you of who is Lord here?" Sesshoumaru raised his usual monotone voice, Kikyou returning to her wounded sister, sure that Sesshoumaru would handle the impudent little imp accordingly.

"You are my master, Lord Sesshoumaru, and it is for you that I had ordered these demons," He said, motioning towards all the carcasses with a stubby amphibian hand, "to massacre the villagers! But alas, I have failed, and I am confused as to why you killed them, m'Lord."

"Why have you done this?" Kikyou finally exclaimed, still holding onto her sister, as if her sister was her very lifeline.

"Why? Because Lord Sesshoumaru ordered it!"

It took a while for the words to sink in, and when they finally did, Sesshoumaru was able to say with rancor, "I've done no such thing!"

"But you did, my lord! Do you not remember it?" Jaken cried, "You said to kill them all, even the priestess… So the jewel could be yours!"

"Are you mad, Jaken?I have no business with the Shikon Jewel," Sesshoumaru defended, and with a glance back, "Kikyou –"

"You… I should have known… I should have known! What else could a demon want from me? What else but the jewel?" Kikyou shouted in complete and utter defeat. "What else…?" She whispered again, the tears spilling freely, like little rivers running down her face; her beautiful face, contorted with hate, rage, disappointment.

"I had no part in this. If I had wanted to steal your jewel, I would have done so already." Sesshoumaru stood poised, albeit the nasty snarl that betrayed his stillness. "You know that." He said, stepping forward closer to her, but she raised her hand in warning.

"Your minion says otherwise!" She retorted, the hatred resonating from every pore of her body, her hand reaching out to him, ready to release powerful purification energy that could even harm Sesshoumaru and render him momentarily weak. "Your kind is all the same! And I should have known! You foul creature!"

"K-Kikyou… no." Kaede's frail voice withheld the elder woman's assault, at least for a moment as Kikyou reached to her back for an arrow and loaded one onto her bow, aiming at point blank range at Sesshoumaru. Meanwhile, the accused demon lord stood his ground, his amber eyes narrowed, which the young woman mistook for acceptance of his crime. "Kikyou…" the youngest of the group whined, hoping her persistent pleading would get Kikyou to stop her sure-to-come vendetta against Sesshoumaru.

"Hush, Kaede. Do not waste your breath on this despicable demon." Kikyou reprimanded the younger girl, "You bastard. I-I… let you deceive me! Weaken me!" the hand holding the bow straight began to tremble, "I hate you…" She whispered so only Sesshoumaru could hear. The demon's narrowed eyes widened a bit, in a motion similar to that of disbelief, but he kept his mouth shut, and if he had any mordant replies, he kept them to himself. "I hate you." She said again, more bitterly than before, her voice barely above a whisper, as if those three were a great power that she was desperately trying to hold back, a horrible power that she didn't want to wield.

"If not for me you'd be dead," Sesshoumaru retorted curtly, letting her insults get the better of him for the moment; his tone only fueling Kikyou's already raging hurt. "I didn't do this." His voice almost sounded pleading. Kikyou's arrow did not waver, her eyes remained on his, digging through the deep golden, trying to find the lie in his gaze.

"Leave." Was Kikyou's only word as she lowered her bow, the arrow falling to the floor. "Don't ever come back." But Sesshoumaru made no move. " I said leave! Leave before I change my mind!" The young woman snapped, and the demon lord needed no further warning as he sauntered away, his demon imp running after him in terror.

"Kikyou... He..." But Kikyou didn't let the child finish.

"Get better first, Kaede, then you can say whatever you want." Kikyou gently cradled the child in her arms, while the men from before gathered around her.

"Lady Kikyou," One of the men nudged her, "Perhaps we should carry her back to your home."

"Yes, please do that." Kikyou reluctantly loosened her grip on her younger sister before one of the men hoisted the bloodied girl up in his arms. "Don't die, Kaede..."

"And that man, my lady?"

"If you see him, alert me, and I shall _kill_ him."

"There's a thin line between love and hate, they say. Oh Kikyou, I warned you, but you fell in love anyway like a fool..." Tsubaki cackled as she watched the horrid scene from her magic mirror, a deadly smile on her wicked face.

**Author's Note**: Sorry for the delay. Once classes start, my free time dies. And so does my creativity. Yup. True story. New chapter should be coming out soon. It may be short, but it will calm a lot of worries.


	23. Warm Breath

FINALLY.

**Xxx**

**Chapter 23: Warm Breath  
**

**Xxx**

"My lady, Kaede has fainted!" One of the men grunted out as soon as the young priestess Kikyou barged in through the door of her home, her face marred with wrinkles of worry. The men who had been looking after the weak Kaede looked at each other with concern; even in the direst situations, their priestess' eyes had always been cool and collected – devoid of any emotion, but as they looked upon the young woman's countenance, they saw sorrow and distress and that alone was enough to send a chill down their spines.

"Kaede," Kikyou practically shoved the men out of the way, "Kaede wake up!" The priestess shook the girl as gently, but alarmingly as possible, hoping she could get the child to start up again. The girl did not budge, and with that, Kikyou's shaking began to get more frantic. After what seemed like a lifetime, the child lifted her eyelid to reveal a dull brown iris. The amount of effort it took for the child to open her only remaining eye broke Kikyou's already torn heart. The child opened her mouth to talk, but Kikyou halted her, "No, Kaede, save your breath, do not speak." The older woman crooned, but she realized that even if her sister had wanted to, the child was too weak to speak. "I'm sorry, Kaede, I…" Kikyou's voice trembled, "I failed. As a priestess… As your older sister. " The men gave each other a meaningful look, both silently agreeing that it was time to leave the two sisters alone.

"No…"

"Yes, Kaede, I've failed you. I let you get hurt. And it's my fault." The child only cried in response, seeing her sister's utter despair. "He deceived me. I fell for his ruse and now my sister's life hangs by a thread. I've been such a fool, Kaede, I understand if you cannot forgive me – if you hate me. But worry not my sister, I shall not let you die. I shall do all in my power to save you. Oh, if only I could take your place, Kaede." And despite all of Kikyou's years of maintaining a façade of strength, the young woman began to sob, tears spilling like never before. It was then that Kikyou felt two small hands tentatively touch her face. It was Kaede who wiped away the tears that her sister shed. The older woman felt her stomach take a turn when she saw the look on the girl's face. Despite the excruciating pain Kikyou was sure the girl was feeling, she was smiling up at her older sister.

"Kikyou… please be strong…" The girl wheezed out, "It hurts so bad, but you always tell me to be strong… Oh, sister, I don't… think I-I've said this ever y-yet, b-bu-but, I love you. You're a great b-big sister." Kikyou felt her heart break at her sister's valiant smile.

"I'm not. I let a demon destroy me. I fell for it all, and in the end, you ended up paying for my mistake." Kikyou persisted in blaming herself, but the child gave a particularly violent bloody wheeze and hindered Kikyou from continuing with her guilt-ridden rant..

"He… made you happy," Kaede spoke between coughing fits, "and… you deserve… to be… happy. Sister, he-"

"He could never make me happy! Don't waste your words on that filth!" Kikyou's previous tears of grief turned to ones of venom – of the bitterest despair.

"No. l-listen, h-he…" The child couldn't finish; she began coughing up blood and Kikyou cradled the child into her arms, the relentless blood flow from Kaede's wound staining Kikyou's recently changed white haori.

"Don't die on me, Kaede. Be strong!"

"I-I'm sorry... Sister." Kaede's once sunkissed skin was a sickly gray pallor. "Be with… him. He-" but the child could not finish, her last words also took her last breath.

"I-I love you too, Kaede." The elder woman expelled a miserable sigh; knowing that trying to revive her sister was fruitless. The tears continued down her colorless face, her eyes clenched in absolute hopelessness and pain, as she lowered the child back onto the futon, ignoring the pain in her own shoulder. Kikyou, the priestess, closed the child's singular eyelid and offered a prayer. Kikyou, the sister, lowered herself to kiss her younger sibling's forehead tenderly, realizing that she should have been more affectionate while Kaede still had her life. It was far too late to finally take the role of loving older sister.

_Kikyou… please be strong…_

Kikyou stood up, wiping away her tears, her sad stare hardening into a glare. "Happy with him? I could never be happy. Not then, not now, not ever. Forgive me, Kaede, I cannot be with your murderer." She murmured decisively before stepping out of her home, readying herself mentally to attend the rest of the moribund villagers.

**Xxx**

"My Lord, what's wrong?" A curious, but fearful Jaken asked after his master's sudden stop.

"Quiet Jaken." Sesshoumaru warned.

"Have you heard about the tragedy that happened in that village where the Shikon Jewel is? A demon slayer told me. It's truly horrible." Sesshoumaru's sensitive ears caught hold of a particularly interesting conversation between two human men in the distance.

"No, what happened? I've got a cousin living there."

"The villagers got attacked by a horde of demons. A lot died or are pretty badly injured." The first man explained, "I've also heard the priestess lost her sister. Poor thing. The villagers have never seen her, the priestess, so cold and vacant before." Sesshoumaru tensed at the news. He could see that the child's chances of survival were very slim, but hearing that the girl had actually died came as a surprise.

"Served her right, though. I heard she was having an affair with a demon! Despicable woman," A woman added to the conversation. Unconsciously, the aforementioned demon clenched his clawed hand into a fist. Even despite the tragedy, the woman could not even spare a compassionate comment; no, humans were always expelling poison.

"My Lord…?"

"Jaken, you say that I ordered you to gather demons to kill the humans?" Sesshoumaru questioned.

"Yes, m'lord, that you did! I do not understand why you deny it, though. Or what your intentions are." Jaken spoke, scratching at his amphibious green head in manifestation of his bewilderment.

"Was there anything odd?"

"Besides your strange request? Well," the little imp put a stubby hand to his chin, "now that I think about it, you seemed very tense, and the way you walked… was a bit off."

"A demon impersonated me. But why? For the Shikon Jewel, most likely." It was Sesshoumaru's turn to be at a complete loss as to the logic of such a plan. "Obviously this demon has been following Kikyou. But surely I would have detected its presence."

"My lord, the command itself… was to not only to wreck the village, but also to kill the priestess's kid sister." At this, Sesshoumaru turned to the direction of the village, his eyebrows creasing in further confusion and astonishment. It was obvious to him that the mimic had a personal vendetta against Kikyou, but why choose to go around it in such a roundabout way? Surely the demon could have just gathered the demons himself and caused the same amount of damage in lieu of using Sesshoumaru's guise to dupe Jaken to do his dirty work for him. That enraged Sesshoumaru – the idea that any demon had the sheer gall to take his appearance and perform ignoble actions. If he had wanted to get Kikyou back for something, he merely would have just killed her instead of thinking of an elaborate scheme to kill her sister. At the thought of the dead child, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity.

_The dead child. Dead._

Sesshoumaru began to absently fiddle with the hilt of the sword at his hip.

While Sesshoumaru contemplated his next course of action, the mastermind behind the scheme gloated in his success. Naraku kept cackling maliciously at the news that the stupid girl had died and that Kikyou had completely fallen into his ingenious trap. Thanks to Tsubaki's powers, he had an incredible vantage point; he had watched the entirety of the day's events through the dark priestess's enchanted mirror. The look of pure hatred on Kikyou's face when she learned that her dear _Sesshoumaru_ had caused the death of her poor little sister excited him to no end. He wondered what face she'd make when he took her. What sound of disgust would she make when he pinned her body underneath him, what her face would look like decorated with rage when he ravished her. He was getting carried away when Tsubaki interrupted him.

"Ugh. The look on your face. Thinking about Kikyou, no doubt." The young woman complained in disgust. Although she had no interest in men, she still felt envy in regards to Kikyou's ability to attract the attentions of so many males. "But enough fantasizing, what's the next step of the plan? We got rid of the demon and most likely broke her spirit by killing that little brat. So what's next? Surely you can just go ahead and nab her now. Once you do that, I'll be left as the strongest and most beautiful priestess once again. Then master will acknowledge me as the true protector of the Shikon jewel."

"Kikyou's hatred towards that demon will surely corrupt the jewel…" Naraku began, "imagine how powerful I'd be with the jewel in hand. Killing that demon would be an easy feat with the jewel's power. All of the world's riches will be mine. With Kikyou forever by my side."

"Didn't we agree that you'd only get one wish. Because my plans involve me playing hero and being protector of the jewel." The woman insisted; annoyance plastered all over her expression.

_You foolish woman. Once my use for you is done, I will dispose of you. The Shikon Jewel and its power will be mine and mine alone. _

**XXX  
**

"I am sorry. There's nothing else I can do." Kikyou stood up from her spot next to a dying woman, too emotionally tired to give her compassion to the deceased woman's distraught husband. The man, wallowing in grief was hysterical in his wails of pain. Apparently, the poor woman had been pregnant with her first child, but the demons had clawed at her womb, leaving her and her child dead.

_It's all my fault. _

That phrase kept reverberating in her head the entire day as she tended to the injured villagers. She considered herself to blame for all of the tragedy that had occurred among the residents, so for today, she accepted any insults hurled at her by hysterical family members and distressed victims. It wasn't until she had checked up on all of the living wounded victims that she could take a rest for the evening and go on to the forest to replenish her dwindling supply of medicinal herbs. The girl did all in her power to keep her mind busy – to keep her thoughts from conjuring up images of Kaede silently tagging behind her, only sometimes speaking up to ask about the certain properties about a particular plant. Just thinking of having to set up her young sister's funeral pyre gave her chills.

"Kikyou," a voice called out, and the priestess immediately stood up in alarm. Once again, she failed to perceive the presence of another being. To her relief, it was only Inuyasha, standing a ways off, looking at her with a serious expression on his boyish face.

"Inuyasha… I suppose you've heard." His long silver hair and golden eyes set her heart on fire.

"Yes. Myoga told me." Inuyasha started, looking unsure of himself, "he's a flea demon that swears he was buddies with my dad. He follows me around." Inuyasha explained after taking note of the quizzical look she shot him. Though she longed to chase the half-demon away because of his astounding resemblance to his half-brother, she chose to let the boy stay. His visage brewed the pangs of betrayal she was so longing to forget, but she could not bring herself to force him to leave.

"What are you doing here Inuyasha?" Kikyou asked.

"I don't know, I'm just… sorry, I guess."

"Well, you have nothing to do here." Kikyou asserted, turning her back to the half-demon as he stared at her in discomfort. "Leave me be."

"Kikyou, I just… I actually don't know what I'm doing back here. But I came back as soon as I heard, even if it meant I had to face that jerk Sesshoumaru." At the mention of his name, Kikyou grew livid; she was unable to hold back the blaring hatred she felt for the regal demon.

"Don't you know when to leave well enough alone? I don't need your compassion, _half-demon._" Kikyou spat with such venom that even rude and reckless Inuyasha flinched at her bitter insult. "You're all the same, even if you are only half. All despicable, heartless creatures!"

"What in the hell is wrong with you?" Inuyasha shot back, "You're acting as if this was my fault or somethin'!" Kikyou fell to her knees, finally letting her feelings take over again, but this time, it wasn't over Kaede's death – this time her grief was thanks to Sesshoumaru's betrayal. "W-wait, who did this anyway, Kikyou?" The young woman on her knees glared up at Inuyasha.

"_Sesshoumaru!_" She choked out, as if the very name was toxic on her lips. Inuyasha immediately reacted violently at the mention of his half-brother's involvement in the heinous crimes against the young priestess.

"I'll kill him! I'll kill that bastard for you! If he even thinks about laying a foot anywhere near you, I'll get him good." Inuyasha huffed out, shaking an angry fist in the air to prove his point. Kikyou paid no heed; she was lost to her world of utter misery. Inuyasha approached the grieving Kikyou cautiously, stooping down so that his fierce golden eyes were at level with her doleful browns. "I swear it on the memory of my mother!" he hissed, and Kikyou remembered the rouge container Sesshoumaru had broken between his fingertips. How could she have forgotten about that? She felt ashamed that she had just stood idly by as the demon humiliated Inuyasha and destroyed what was most important to him. She had readily forgotten such a display of cruelty thanks to her irrational infatuation with the demon lord.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha." She stood up, regaining her previous composure. "It's late, but I cannot bring myself to go back. A blanket of death covers my home. The village I was born and raised in. Where my parent's ashes lie, and where my sister's ashes will soon join theirs." The tragic look on her face fueled his hatred for his only living family member further. How could anyone hurt someone so kind and pure?

Refusing to travel back to the village, the priestess spent most of the night sitting in the clearing, eventually lying down to gaze up at the starry sky. All the while, Inuyasha stood guard over her at a distance, leaving her to her space. Initially, Kikyou was worried that she may fall asleep, giving the half-demon an opportunity to kill her, but in retrospect, she figured she didn't mind if he did. At least then, she thought, she could finally be relieved of her heavy burdens - at least then she could rest in peace. But alas, when she woke up the following morning, she was not surprised to see she was quite alive and that Inuyasha sat crossed-legged near her.

"Were you awake the whole night?" Inuyasha nodded in reply. "Aren't you tired?"

"I'm half-demon, remember? Takes more than one sleepless night to faze me."

Kikyou sighed, "It's time for Kaede's funeral." But at that exact moment, Inuyasha stood up in alert; sniffing the air and baring his fangs.

"He's coming." Inuyasha growled. Kikyou knew completely well as to who he referred to, and soon enough sensed Sesshoumaru's powerful aura heading right towards them as well; she readied an arrow onto her long bow.

"I thought I told you to never come here again!" Kikyou shouted at Sesshoumaru as he stepped out from the forest, his demon imp scuffling behind him. Inuyasha wasted no time as he lunged towards the full-demon, claws extended to attack, but Sesshoumaru easily pushed his brother away with such a force that Inuyasha went reeling back quite a distance away. Kikyou released her sacred arrow straight at him, but the demon caught it like the first time she had shot at him, as he paid no heed to his burnt hand. Startled at his indifference, Kikyou had no time to shoot again for he suddenly appeared right in front of her, his face unreadable as always. He merely shot out a hand to grab one of her wrists while continuing with his graceful stride, forcing her to follow. She struggled without rest; unleashing several powerful blasts of spiritual energy which no doubt pained the demon lord, as he winced with each of her attacks, but he continued with his vice grip, despite the dreadful feeling of fire licking at his skin.

"Why won't you unhand me, you cretin! What more pain can you cause me?" The woman uncharacteristically yelled at the top of her lungs; unrelenting in her struggle against him. "Inuyasha!" She cried in hopelessness. Sesshoumaru abruptly stopped his gait to brusquely swing her in front of him and grab at her face viciously to pull her up to his towering height.

"Mention that half-demon's name again and I'll make sure to rip him in half like the insect he is."And with that, she spat at his face, causing him to push her against a tree in anger, "You're playing a dangerous game, priestess. If you continue with this, I'll snap, and you'll regret it."

"I already regret ever placing my trust in you." _Placing my heart in your wicked hands, _she added inwardly. He said nothing, continuing to haul her back to the village – back to the hut where her poor lifeless sister laid. What else could he have planned for her?

Inuyasha came jumping out again, but once again was deflected by Sesshoumaru's poisonous claw. Before she knew it, Sesshoumaru had dragged her back inside to the hut where her sister lay. She watched on in confusion as he unsheathed the sword she had never once seen him wield before. Inuyasha stepped in through the threshold of the entrance, but a voice stopped him from attacking any further.

"Lord Inuyasha, stop!" A little flea demon on Sesshoumaru's shoulder ordered the half-demon to halt. "Lord Sesshoumaru knows what he's doing!" At Inuyasha's pause, Sesshoumaru raised his sword right above Kaede's body.

"Now you want to mutilate my sister's body? I will not allow it!" She shielded the child's body with her own, feeling absolutely helpless.

"I can see them." Were the demon lord's only words as he brought down his sword before Inuyasha could pounce on him. Kikyou swore that he had swung down the blade right through her, but the only thing she could feel was a strange, tingling kind of warmth that spread through her like a pleasant dip in tepid water, but shouldn't she feel the cold blade piercing through; sending jolts of excruciating pain throughout her body? Instead of cold death she was greeted by a warm breath of life.

And her sister's singular doe brown eye fluttering open in confusion.

"Sister?"

**XXX**

**C. Mushroom says: **Well, there you go. Another chapter. I cannot stop typing! Yay, summer! Now, you might have noticed that I stopped using the Japanese honorifics. No more "Sesshoumaru-sama" or "onee-san" or "miko-sama". Why? I felt they were a little tacky when overused. So, although it kind of disrupts the continuity, I dropped them. I may go back one day and edit them out of all the chapters. I started writing this story when I was just thirteen-years-old and I think this work here best captures the evolution of my writing ability/style. Reading through the beginning chapters is always so difficult. I cringe each time.

But anyways, thanks to all who've stuck with me. Expect the next chapter soon!


	24. Protect

"Sister?" Kaede dazedly groaned out, as if coming out of a deep, deep slumber. Kikyou and Inuyasha were far too aghast to stop the child as she sat up and touched where bloodied bandages covered most of her torso. "W-what's going on?" The shocked Kikyou grabbed Kaede's wrist, and surely enough, she could feel the girl's fluttering pulse from her heart – beating in full health.

"Allow me to explain!" The little flea demon on Sesshoumaru's shoulder announced before clearing his throat and leaping down from the demon lord's shoulder down to the floor by Kikyou. "Lord Sesshoumaru's sword is no ordinary sword. It is a sword of healing – a sword that, if mastered, can bring back the souls of one hundred people from the afterlife with a single swipe. That is the power of the Tenseiga. Which is why Lord Sesshoumaru never draws it out from its scabbard." Myoga joked, which earned a glare from said demon.

"Why the hell would this guy carry a sword like that around?" Inuyasha interjected, brazenly pointing a claw at his elder brother.

"It's an heirloom from your great and honorable father." Myoga pitched in matter-of-factly.

"Yes, our great and _terrible_ father." Sesshoumaru muttered.

"But this doesn't make sense, why would you?" It was Kikyou's turn to question.

"Now I remember! Sister, Sesshoumaru didn't do this to the village!" Kaede chirped, "Before I was attacked, as I was running through the forest looking for you," At that part, Kikyou winced in guilt, "I saw the little demon toad," she pointed at the silent Jaken, "talking to Sesshoumaru about how the attack was going. And how he had to make sure I died! I hid behind some bushes; too terrified to make a sound. The little demon ran to give the order, but Sesshoumaru stayed."

"Then he did do it! You bastard!" Inuyasha raised his voice and got in position to attack.

"Me the bastard? I think you've got it reversed, _little brother._" Sesshoumaru retaliated.

"Stop!" Kaede yelled out in frustration, "As I was saying, Sesshoumaru stayed, but then something truly scary happened. I watched him transform before my very eyes! It wasn't Sesshoumaru! It was some demon with dark hair and red eyes! I didn't get too good a look, but I know he noticed me and that's when I began to run. Kikyou, this is what I was trying to tell you!" Kikyou gave her younger sister an incredulous look before putting a hand to Kaede's forehead as if to check her for fever. "I didn't imagine it!"

"I don't understand..."

"Foolish priestess, it is obvious that Lord Sesshoumaru would never dishonor himself by ordering other demons to do what he can easily do." Jaken scolded the woman, "Have you learned nothing?"

"Then a shape-shifting demon?" Kikyou pondered aloud, "But also, bringing back my sister from the dead is not something Sesshoumaru is wont to do." The woman clung on to her suspicions, knowing that if it was true – that the demon had nothing to do with the murder of the villagers and her sister – she would come back to him in a heartbeat; her feelings would befuddle her logic again and she'd be at his mercy. She would be weak. She needed to find a reason to hate him.

"Instead of questioning my lord's motives, you should be eternally grateful for his generosity!" Jaken squawked at her impudence. While usually such a comment would merit silent approval from the proud Sesshoumaru; this time, the demon lord reproached the little imp's words with a harsh reprimand.

"Silence, Jaken." The little demon instantly quieted.

"Leave me be." Kikyou then ordered. Nobody made a move to leave except Myoga and Kaede. "Except you, Kaede, you are far too weak from your wounds."

"Actually, I'm fine, my wound... healed!" Kaede assured, "Well, my eye still hurts, but I'm okay really."

"I ain't leaving you here!" Inuyasha practically growled.

"Inuyasha, please. I'll be fine. I must sort out... this mess."

"Come, Inuyasha, let's go out to the forest just outside the shrine! You'll be close enough to know and smell if my sister is in danger." Kaede walked out the door, Inuyasha grumpily following after seeing the priestess's pleading stare. Myoga took the opportunity to latch himself onto Inuyasha's retreating form, leaving just Sesshoumaru and Jaken behind.

"Leave, Jaken." And so the little demon sulkily trotted out, leaving just the tall demon lord and the still squatting priestess.

"I believe I said I'd like to be alone." Kikyou repeated, pulling out the loose white ribbon from her thick mass of dark hair. Most of her ponytail had become undone thanks to the violent struggling she had put up when Sesshoumaru had forcefully dragged her back all the way to her sister.

"You still have doubts." He stated more than asked.

"Yes. But of a different kind." She spoke softly, finally directing her vision to his face. Sesshoumaru always rose above her a great deal, and they had both been in the same position many times before – her sitting and him standing –but she had never felt so small before. Hating the feeling of vulnerability, Kikyou finally stood up. "I am growing weaker. And that frightens me."

"Weaker?"

"Yes, you saw it yourself. I couldn't stop you earlier." She pointed at him, scanning his arms where she had tried blasting him with her spiritual power. She had managed to scathe him and soil his sleeves, but obviously, it had been hardly enough to halt his movements; if he had meant to kill her, then she would have been helpless.

"You were holding back." He said, his golden eyes following her every movement.

"What?"

"I've seen you handle demons before, priestess; that was not the extent of your power." and at this point, the dog demon smirked knowingly, "You cannot fight me. No, you don't _want_ to hurt me." The young woman did not even attempt to deny it, she just merely smiled at him solemnly. "Well, not that you could." He added, not forgetting his pride.

"You must think me pathetic." She laughed sadly, "Who could think of that? The human priestess who cannot bring herself to hurt a demon."

"Pathetic?" Under any other circumstances, he would completely agree with her, but she was Kikyou, and no matter how much he tried to will himself to believe that she was just another measly human being, he couldn't, because he knew she wasn't – she was far more than that.

"Yes. I've been duped by another demon and so I failed to protect the village. To protect Kaede, the person whom I vowed to defend with my very life."

_Tell me, Sesshoumaru, have you someone to protect?_

A long forgotten memory resurfaced. Sesshoumaru's father, the former great Lord of the Western domain, stood with his back to his son. _Protect? _

No, at that time, the idea of enhancing his power to protect someone was absurd – his path, his desire, was to make himself stronger so that he could surpass his father. _The path of supreme conquest,_ he remembered telling his father was his purpose in life.

**XXX**

"Inuyasha, why are you here? You had left so long ago..." Kaede asked the pacing half-demon.

"I heard about what had happened here thanks to Myoga. And I wanted to know how Kikyou was doing." He explained, but after seeing Kaede's suggestive look, added, "To take advantage of the situation and steal the jewel, o' course!"

"Myoga?"

"Yes, that would be me." The little flea demon jumped on the half-demon's shoulder.

"Wait, Myoga, you came with Sesshoumaru... What were you doin'? I thought you were on my side!" Inuyasha flicked the litte demon off his shoulder indignantly.

"But I am! But when I crossed paths with Lord Sesshoumaru, well I couldn't very well ignore him, you see..." Myoga cleared his throat, "Especially when he asked me about Tenseiga."

"Tenseiga saved me, right?" Kaede asked.

"Yes, my great lord, your father, Inuyasha, had very specific plans when it came to inheritance." the little flea explained.

"Feh. Apparently. Sesshoumaru got his title and his fancy sword! Meanwhile I got nothing!" He crossed his arms defiantly over his chest.

"Yes, but that's not the only thing he left behind. He gave Sesshoumaru Tenseiga, a sword of healing. But what Sesshoumaru truly coveted was Tetsusaiga, the other sword made from his father's fang."

"That's a big fang." Kaede commented in childish wonder.

"Unlike Tenseiga, Tetsusaiga can take the lives of one-hundred demons in a single swipe. That's the sword Sesshoumaru desired with all his heart. So when he asked me about his own sword, I couldn't help but be surprised."

"But if Sesshoumaru wanted Tetsusaiga so bad, why didn't his father give it to him?" Kaede asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Serves him right. Gotta thank the old man for that." Inuyasha snorted.

"Because my lord was afraid for his son. Sesshoumaru grew up to be cruel and merciless. He despises humans and is even more intolerant of half-demons. He thought that by giving him Tenseiga, his son would one day grow to understand compassion, and even acquire it himself. He wished for his son to one day accept his younger brother as family." Myoga explained.

"Heh. Like that will ever happen."

"Perhaps that will take more time. But one thing is clear," Myoga began seriously, "for Sesshoumaru to have been able to wield Tenseiga, he had to have felt compassion."

"So then... he felt sorry for this kid? That doesn't sound right." Inuyasha tried to wrap his head around his cold-hearted half-brother feeling _anything_ akin to emotion.

"Or rather, for my sister, Kikyou." Kaede corrected, which caused Inuyasha to clench his fists. "Inuyasha, you care for my sister, don't you?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" His face grew red as he stamped away from the girl and brandished his fist in the air. "And who's hidin' over there! Come out, you little sneak!" Inuyasha pointed at a random place among the shrubs.

"Ah, excuse me, I didn't mean to eavesdrop!" An older lady covered in a raggedy cloak emerged from the greenery, but as quickly as she appeared, she scuffled off hurriedly.

"I didn't know an elder could be so quick..." Kaede mentioned offhandedly.

**XXX**

"But for reviving Kaede, you have my deepest gratitude." Kikyou bowed in utmost respect. "I don't know why you did this, but I will forever be in your debt."

"It seems that there's a demon who's set his eyes on you," Sesshoumaru changed the subject, not wishing to address his reasons, "I'm sure you've pieced that together already."

"Yes, obviously this demon wanted to hurt me, albeit indirectly." She agreed, "Such an elaborate plan. This demon's been following me, as he knew who you were to me. But I've never sensed his aura. Have you... caught his scent?" She asked, unsure of how to phrase such a question, being as how she didn't know if Sesshoumaru would consider it offensive if she likened his abilities to that of a dog.

"Never." He admitted.

"Then..."

"Then, it is obvious he must die." Kikyou gave the demon an odd look before he continued, "For using my visage to try to disgrace my honor. Such a plan is beneath me."

"He is a danger to the remaining villagers. It is my duty to purify this demon." She declared with finality, turning her back to him to retrieve her bow and arrows.

"As is Inuyasha, but you don't seem to want to kill him." Sesshoumaru spoke lowly but clearly, causing Kikyou to turn around and face him again, an eyebrow arched in question.

"As are you, if we're speaking of demons." She countered.

"If I'm not mistaken, Inuyasha initially sought you out for the Shikon Jewel. Maybe that's why he's here now." He explained condescendingly to the priestess. How could she not have thought about that by now? Sesshoumaru thought she was far more clever than to let that half-demon hang around when his intentions were so blatantly transparent to him.

"If that were his goal, he would have done so already." She dismissed him, but Sesshoumaru wasn't about to let it go. His brother's presence infuriated him; his smell was everywhere, even trying to mask Kikyou's own pleasant scent.

"Unless he wants to gain your trust first and then betray you. Has that ever crossed your mind, woman?"

"It has. But I could say the same for you." She smirked, knowing she had a compelling point. "Why are you so insistent? It's not like you." Without warning, the demon grabbed the much shorter woman by the wrists, pulling her close, "What are you doing?" she complained.

"Why is he here?" Sesshoumaru's growl sent chills down Kikyou's spine. She expected such a dog-like sound from Inuyasha, who frequently made similar vocalizations, but not the refined Sesshoumaru, whom despite his dog demon heritage, had the manners of a human lord.

"I-I don't know. I suppose because he felt bad..." The young girl felt incredibly vulnerable again underneath his overpowering stance. His grip on her wrists was not rough, but it was firm. At such close proximity, Kikyou could better see the damage she had caused earlier by blasting him with her purification powers. The usual fair, unblemished skin of his arms was marred with red burn marks. "Sesshoumaru..." she called out to him in concern, her vision fixed on what she had caused, momentarily forgetting the assault brought on by his intolerance of his half-brother and his possessiveness. "Perhaps I should tend to that?" He released the woman from his grasp, who then took the opportunity to gently brush one of the burns he had caused, earning a painful hiss from the demon lord.

"I am a demon. My wounds need no tending." He asserted, "On the other hand, yours do." He said as he brushed his claw against her slightly bloodied shoulder, causing her to gasp.

"My wound's reopened, and I hadn't even noticed." She winced, finally taking note of the sharp pain. "I'll be fine. It's only a minor injury."

"Heh. And you say you will take care of that demon yourself. Now that, is truly pathetic."

"Excuse me? I'll be fine, it should heal quickly!"

"Not if it keeps reopening."

"No thanks to you."

The two bickered back and forth, neither willing to cease to the other side. "I'll dispose of that demon." Sesshoumaru offered.

"No, I will, it's my responsibility. It is no concern of yours." She countered.

"Will you just sit still and let me take care of it!" Sesshoumaru finalized with authority, "It is every bit my concern, Kikyou. That scum took my appearance and used it to hurt you! For such gall, he will die by my hand. He will not lay a hand on you." Were his final words as he left her to stare wide-eyed at his retreating form.

"Did he just mean to say... he'd avenge me? Protect me?"

"_Tell me, Sesshoumaru, do you have someone to protect?" The great Inu no Taisho asked his son, the demon prince who'd soon inherit his title and estate._

"_The answer is no."_

But was the answer still no? Kikyou's sad, but tender smile flashed through Sesshoumaru's mind in response.

**XXX**

"Naraku!"

"What is the matter, woman? Can you not see I'm trying to plan out my next move?" Naraku snapped at the loud, huffing Tsubaki, who stumbled through the entrance of an abandoned shrine, lifting up stray dust and dirt in her haste.

"It's that brat! She's alive!" Tsubaki spat out, absolutely enraged. "I overheard the kid and Inuyasha and some other demon talking. That demon, Sesshoumaru, carries a sword that can revive souls from the dead!"

"What sorcery is that? And who the hell is Inuyasha?"

"I don't know. They said something about the fang of his father. Inuyasha is Sesshoumaru's half-demon brother. The wretch seems to share feelings for the damn woman as well."

"This ruins everything!" He snapped, in his anger lashing out at Tsubaki; grabbing her neck with a powerful hand. "How could you let this happen?"

"N-Naraku!" The helpless woman choked out, "I didn't know he had that blasted magic sword with him!" She wheezed out, and seeming to calm down, the deranged man pushed Tsubaki away from his grasp, causing her to stumble and fall through some cobwebs.

"As infuriating as it is, I cannot go against that demon. Especially if this damn Inuyasha character is also hanging around my Kikyou!"

"Well, I don't think we have to worry about him too much. It's been said the Lord of the Western Lands despises his younger brother, and with him prowling around his territory, I'm pretty sure he'll get rid of him for us." Tsubaki reasoned. Naraku seemed to cheer at this.

"_My territory. _But anyway, what should I do about that damn demon? I cannot deal with him in this weak state. _Sesshoumaru." _He spoke his name venomously. "Unless... I manage to get the Shikon Jewel first."

"Right, like Kikyou would let it out of her sight." Tsubaki scoffed; rolling her sapphire blue eyes at his ignorance.

"Then get_ it_ out of her sight."

"You say it as if it was that easy!" The sassy ruby-lipped priestess complained; her arms over her chest, but the look Naraku gave her clearly stated he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. His red eyes gleamed with danger; with an animosity so great, that she knew that if she were to disobey him now, he would surely behead her.

"I see you understand, Tsubaki." He snarled, "That bastard... will suffer the worst humiliation. And his half-brother too if he continues to lurk around what belongs to me!" He concluded with an angry blow to a nearby wall, which gave in to his fist and left a gaping hole as a reminder of his ardorous hatred.

**XXX**

**C. Mushroom Says: **Sorry this chapter is shorter than the last, but it just seemed like an appropriate place to end. This chapter was a little bland; I'm sorry, but believe me, after this, it's going to get intense! And it'll be up (very) soon! Reviews are welcome, as always.


	25. Dog Days Are Over

**XXX**

**Chapter 25: _Dog Days Are Over_  
**

**XXX**

"Kikyou, I have something to tell you!" Inuyasha declared, "And... Damnit, Myoga, stop suckin' my blood! Can't you see I'm trying to think of what to say?" Inuyasha yelled; stopping mid-pace in the middle of the forest clearing.

"Sorry, Lord Inuyasha. Your blood is just so tasty!" The flea demon rubbed his bulging little stomach. "Continue on practicing with confessing your feelings to Lady Kikyou!" Inuyasha turned as red as his kimono.

"I ain't doing that!" The half-demon explained.

"Lord Inuyasha, we both know you care very much for Lady Kikyou. I don't blame you, though. She is very beautiful. You definitely have your father's good eye." Myoga chuckled, making Inuyasha blush even more.

"She's kind to me. Unlike the rest of the world." Inuyasha spoke softly, his golden eyes lost in thought, "But like with everything else, I get the short end of the stick. Sesshoumaru beat me to it."

"Why don't you fight for her?"

"Let's be real, Myoga. Why in the world would she choose a half-demon over a high and mighty full-demon with a prestigious pedigree?" The silver-haired boy-demon said dejectedly.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, m'lord. Women work in mysterious ways. Some women prefer the underdog, after all."

"Myoga..." And so Inuyasha flicked the little demon off his shoulder, "Your puns aren't needed right now! This is serious! Kikyou doesn't want me. I'm just a half-demon."

"Then why don't you become a full-demon?" An unfamiliar voice interrupted the conversation.

"Who's there?" Inuyasha growled as he got into a defensive stance.

"Just a friendly bystander who happened to overhear your conversation." An unruly-haired man stepped out of the clearing, his scent informing Inuyasha of his demon blood. His savage posture did not change; however, not even when the adorementioned bystander outstretched a hand to him. "I've heard a lot about you, Inuyasha."

"Oh yeah? I'm an outcast and yet people still keep me in their damn gossip." Inuyasha relaxed a little; still on guard in case of attack, but less tense than he was before.

"So from what you say, it seems all could be solved if you simply became a demon, since your lady seems to take a fancy to full-blooded powerful demons." The man suggested, offering the advice as if it was the most obvious path to take.

"And how am I supposed to do that, huh? Half-breeds can't just wake up and decide to be full-demons." Inuyasha reprimanded haughtily.

"Well, I do hear about a magical jewel that can grant any wish..." The tall, dark, and handsome demon commented absently.

"Feh. She'd just hate me if I took the jewel. Damn Sesshoumaru always gets everything."

"You really do hate this Sesshoumaru. Your brother, if the gossip is true. Well then, just imagine his shock to find that the brother he's always looked down on is just as powerful as he, if not more. And now imagine the look of humiliation if _you _drove him away from your lady?" The demon further elaborated, feeding off of Inuyasha's deep resentment for his arrogant older brother.

"Yeah, the look on his face would be downright hilarious if it was me who drove him out of Kikyou's village, like he did to me that one time." At this fantasy, Inuyasha darkly snickered, letting his fangs protrude in menace.

"Ah, but well, it's just a thought of mine. That's what I'd do." He chuckled. "Especially if I knew the lady coveted power. You'd only use it once and give it back, right? Kukukuku." The demon continued with his enigmatic laugh as he cleared out, leaving Inuyasha to his own devices.

"Lord Inuyasha... you aren't considering on following that demon's advice, are you? I doubt Lady Kikyou would appreciate it if you stole the jewel." Myoga reasoned from atop his shoulder.

"No, guess not..."

"And I don't think she'd appreciate it if you hurt Lord Sesshoumaru, either." Myoga mistakingly said aloud, causing the irate dog-eared boy to snarl in blaring hatred, as he once again shoved the little demon off of him, opting to run out of sight. "Oh my, I should really keep quiet."

**XXX**

"Sister, can we please keep him? Oh, please!" Kaede begged an indecisive Kikyou, who stood across the young girl, her hands on her hips, on her face an uncharacteristic pout of indecision. "Just look at him! How can you say no to a face like this?"

"Alright, we can keep him. But you must take care of him too. Understood?" And Kaede jumped up in joy, nuzzling the young bronze-colored akita dog in bliss. The dog was just a puppy, hence it's medium, chubby build. Kikyou had been reluctant, since it'd be another responsibility, but she figured that the dog could hunt on its own if need be, and that it would be helpful in alarming her of any danger. The pup had wandered into the shrine, lost and confused, as well as injured. Kikyou had felt pity for the poor thing and along with Kaede's insistence, had nursed the dog back to health, all the while growing fond of its endearing behavior.

"You hear that, Taro! We're going to keep you!" Kaede giggled as the dog licked her face in gratitude. Kikyou couldn't help but smile at the scene.

"Hmm, speaking of dogs..." Kikyou mentioned, as surely enough, Sesshoumaru appeared from within the forest, coming up to meet the woman who stood in front of her humble home – a small hut at the edge of the human settlement. "Hmm, how strange, for Taro not to have barked at the first whiff of your scent. He's never met you, after all." At this, Sesshoumaru took note of the puppy who then began to cautiously sniff around the demon lord's perimeter. Whether this displeased him or not, he did not say, and instead opted to silently gaze at the little golden-furred dog, wondering why Kikyou would acquire such a creature. Surely not for its practical uses? Why need a dog, when she had him as her silent defender?

"Maybe it's his dog intuition. Maybe he can smell that Sesshoumaru is of his kind!" Kaede spoke without thinking, causing the demon lord to frown in disapproval.

"This dog and me are not of the same _kind_, girl. Don't compare me to such a lowly being." He scolded, "Even it realizes my status as royalty, something you fail to do." And as if on cue, the dog put it's muzzle to the ground, as if bowing in respect.

"Well, he certainly seems to take a liking towards you." Kikyou laughed softly, ridding Sesshoumaru of his annoyance. "I wonder how in the world I ended up associating myself with so many dogs?" Sesshoumaru merely scowled, but neutralized when the light-hearted smile on her face did not wane.

"Come on, Taro, let's go play!" Kaede whistled for the dog to come back to her side, picking up a random stick from the floor and throwing it out into the surrounding forest. "Fetch, boy!" Kikyou caught the slightest twitch of movement from Sesshoumaru, wondering briefly if his canine instincts were trying to surface. Finding the idea ridiculous, she shot it down and concluded that it had just been something else. She tried to keep the humorous images of Sesshoumaru playing fetch and prancing around like a dog out of her absurd.

"Lady Kikyou!" An incoming human shouted out, waving to catch the priestess's attention. Sesshoumaru did not flee; both had stopped caring about whether the villagers saw him with her or not. Many of those that had survived the attack a few weeks ago had accepted their priestess again, seeing as how both she and her strange demon companion had saved them from sure extinction.

"Gorou? What's wrong?" Kikyou questioned concernedly.

"A group of demon slayers... They've come to our village, asking for you." Gorou panted.

"How strange... Where are they?"

"They'll come to you, m'lady! I'll go get them." The boy gave a quick bow to the shrine maiden, and briefly considered doing the same to the silent man beside her, but at Kikyou's urgent stare, the boy decided he was better off in making haste.

"I don't know how they'll react if they recognize you as a demon." Kikyou said with a hint of worry. Sesshoumaru saw through her statement and merely complied by stalking off out of sight. He didn't go too far, she noticed, as she felt his aura nearby. Demon slayers were ordinary humans, they could not sense a demon's aura like she could. It wasn't long before she saw a group of men in black slayer suits approaching her.

"Lady priestess." The men at the front of the pack bowed in respect, the others behind him following suit. Kikyou politely curtsied back, not wanting to appear full of herself for her status as miko.

"What a surprise. I had not been expecting anymore visits from the respectable taijiya clan."

"Lady Kikyou, we require your assistance. There is a demon in the next village over that has been terrorizing the villagers. We could not defeat it. It seems we need the power of a skilled priestess." The leader explained.

"A demon that you could not handle? How peculiar."

"Yes, we are ashamed to have to ask you this. But it seems the demon has taken the form of the lord of the castle, and is causing quite the ruckus." At this new piece of information, Kikyou's eyes widened. "We cannot tell apart the lord from the demon. We are at a loss."

"Worry not, men. You've come to the right person. I shall start my travel to the next village as soon as possible." Kikyou assured them.

"There is one other thing... The demon has made demands for the Shikon Jewel. He is a clever one, Lady Kikyou. Please be careful, for we know it is in your care." The men took one last bow before saying, "Oh, and we shall remain in this village for the time being, if you need us for anything, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Yes, please enjoy our hospitality, I'm sure more than one villager would be happy to house you for the time being. I will handle this matter on my own." She smiled kindly to calm the men's fears. With nods of gratitude, the men began to disperse back into the village away from her. Almost immediately, Sesshoumaru came out of his hiding place, on his face the nastiest of scowls.

"I suppose you came upon the same conclusion." Kikyou spoke sternly, her face also set in a serious frown.

"Yes, I'm sure of it. It's that shapeshifting bastard who dared to sully my good name." He bellowed angrily.

"It's about a few hours of travel on horseback. I'm going to gather what I need. I'll be gone by midday if I make haste." She settled, already turning away from him to prepare herself.

"It sounds as if you plan to go alone."

"I do." She said bluntly, continuing on her way, but he stopped her by catching her petite hand in his own large one. He gently pulled her to face him. The action surprised her, but more than anything, it lit her cheeks up with a soft pink glow that in the golden light of the morning, made her look ethereal. Even Sesshoumaru, the indifferent man that he usually was, was taken aback by the simple beauty the woman possessed. He shook it off.

"I'm going with you." It was more of an assertion than a request. She couldn't bring herself to argue. She absently cluctched at the pink pearl in the hand that wasn't being held by Sesshoumaru, "I don't believe it is a good idea to bring that with you." He let go.

"Hm?"

"The Shikon jewel. This demon obviously knew they'd come to you. He expects you to take it with you. I wouldn't let it happen anyway, but shan't we outsmart this vermin?" Sesshoumaru advised. Kikyou took it into her consideration, but came upon a fault as she scrunched her eyebrows in slight consternation.

"Then everyone would be in danger if we left it here." Kikyou glanced back at where Kaede had gone off to play, remembering what happened the last time she had not been in the village when it was under attack. Following her line of vision and using his sharp sense of smell, he comprehended what she was hinting at.

"There are a group of demon slayers here. Although human, they can take on the usual petty demons that invade." He pointed out wisely, "Jaken!" It took awhile before the little demon toad stumbled out of some nearby foliage, immediately bowing to his master anxiously. "Where is the dragon?"

"I'll go get him, m'lord!" And the little demon scuffled off.

"Dragon?" Kikyou inquired. He didn't reply, instead opting to wait for Jaken to come back with the answer. Surely enough, in a matter of minutes, Jaken traipsed out of the forest, in his stubby demon hand a reign of some sort. Kikyou slightly gaped at the two-headed dragon demon that stomped after the toad.

"Jaken, I am leaving."

"Ah, yes, my lord!" Jaken ambled over to his master's side, offering Sesshoumaru the reigns that controlled the dragon demon.

"You misunderstand. You are to stay here." The regal demon corrected, much to the shock of the little toad demon. "Along with the dragon."

"B-But, master Sesshoumaru, I always accompany you!" Jaken had tears in his big, circular eyes.

"You're assistance is not needed." Was his only explanation. Kikyou stared at the discreet demon, even though his explanation was less than satisfying, she had a strong feeling he was doing it to reassure her of the safety of the villagers while she was away. "Don't get me wrong, I could care less about those worthless humans." Sesshoumaru spoke once Jaken had wandered away in his dejection. "I just don't want you to bother me with reviving them if they die." Kikyou said nothing, but gave the man a curt nod in mutual understanding.

"Sister, why are there demon slayers in the village?" Kaede popped out from among the trees, Taro pouncing behind her.

"Kaede, listen well..." and so the older sister began to recount, as well as giving her detailed instructions as to what to do while she was away. "And if anything bad happens, Kaede, you run away. You are not yet old enough to handle demons that demon slayers cannot defeat."

"Y-yes, sister." The girl hung her head down, not wanting to go through death a second time.

"Good, now, I shall talk to the demon slayers. Also, if something bad were to happen... give Jaken a shout." Kikyou patted the younger girl's head. From a ways off, the girls heard an undignified squawk from the little demon and then a string of complaints, which were silenced by an accompanying thwack. "Be good, Kaede."

**XXX**

As predicted, Kikyou was on her way to the village plagued by the shape-shifting demon by midday. She rode on a horse as Sesshoumaru, her taciturn companion, easily followed the horse's quick pace. She had surmised that the journey would only take a few hours, and that they'd be arriving sometime by nightfall. Hopefully. She was anxious about leaving the jewel in town and wanted to get rid of the demon as fast as possible - she expected that she could be back to the village by dawn.

Neither the woman nor the demon spoke to each other the entire duration of the expedition. He didn't say anything to betray his stoic facade, but she could tell he was restless at the idea of killing the demon who had disrespected him – the nasty grimace on his face was the look of bloodlust, she knew it well. It wasn't until after their arrival that they finally uttered a word to each other.

"I'm not going to hide from the humans this time. I have a score to settle." Sesshoumaru announced, the dim light coming from the torches at the front of the village casting shadows to play on their bodies.

"I won't ask you to." She merely agreed, her soulful brown eyes glimmering in the flickering flames.

"Who goes there?" A quaky voice called out from within the settlement. The odd pair were met by a group of burly samurai whose wide eyes indicated they were terrified.

"I am a priestess. Protector of the Shikon Jewel. I have come to rescue you all from the demon who haunts over your lord's palace."

"Ah, thank the gods! Please, follow us, young priestess." The samurai enthusiastically called out, urging her to follow him. "But before we make our way to the castle, who is this man?"

Before Sesshoumaru could answer, she butted in, "He is with me. He will help me in exterminating the demon." The samurai stared at the tall, platinum-haired dog demon in awe.

"Perhaps he is some type of fancy priest?" Sesshoumaru caught the curious whispers of the men, but paid them no heed. The group soon arrived at the front steps leading into the castle. They both noted the pitch darkness inside. Usually, castles were bustling with life, even at night time; the residents had all probably blown out their candles, too afraid of the demon that threatened them.

"I cannot navigate as well in the darkness. May I use one of your torches?" Kikyou courteously asked the men, but before they could hand over the torch, Sesshoumaru intercepted.

"I can be your eyes. The torch will only get in the way."

"Yes, you're right. Please lead the way." With a polite "thank you" to the men, Kikyou began her ascent up the steps into the castle, following Sesshoumaru's white incadescent silhouette tentatively. "I sense many demons lurking ahead."

"Hmph, quantity over quality. This fool does not know who he's dealing with." Sesshoumaru admonished, brandishing his poisonous claws out in front of him, ready to rip any demon to shreds at any given moment. Kikyou followed his example, taking her bow from within its place strewn across her shoulder and readying an arrow from her sling. As predicted, a multitude of demons burst out from the building without warning, all of them heading straight into the paths of Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. "Such vermin..." Sesshoumaru rebuked before springing into action, eliminating a good bunch by using his poison. Kikyou also wasted no time, easily taking out a few demons with a single arrow. As the demons gushed out, the duo continued on fighting, Sesshoumaru alternating between using his poison claws and his whip of light to annihilate a good fraction, and Kikyou just kept firing arrow after arrow without stop. It wasn't long before the demons spread about the parameter of the castle entrance. Everything was going normally until one of Kikyou's spiritually powered arrows waned in power and only killed about half of the demons that one arrow usually could. She gasped as she hunched over in exhaustion all of a sudden, leaving herself vulnerable; Sesshoumaru swiftly took note and leaped out in front of her.

"Clever beast." Kikyou gasped as she stabbed her bow to the ground, using it as a crutch to steady her wobbling legs from collapsing underneath her. "Whoever it is that's in control here has set up a barrier to weaken my sacred powers." Despite her apparent fatigue, the priestess did not relinquish her attack, instead she summoned up all of her strength to stand up again, once more taking aim with her arrows, occasionally destroying a demon with a blow from her long bow. Sesshoumaru did not leave her side, noting that the barrier was taking its toll on her fragile human body.

_Father... What would you think now? Heh._ Sesshoumaru thought as he flaunted his deadly whip at the demons. The fight went on for a good amount of time, every once in a while the trembling Kikyou had to take short moments to catch her breath. The demons began to diminish in number, and with a sigh of relief, Kikyou released her last arrow, killing the last rampaging demon. "There remains one inside." Sesshoumaru snarled. Kikyou nodded and used her bow as a cane. Sesshoumaru followed suit, sensing the demon wasn't moving anywhere. Surely enough, through the large gaping hole, there was a singular demon standing within the rich throne room, his face and body covered away by a baboon pelt.

"A half-demon?" Kikyou wondered aloud.

"Are you the shameless fool who dared take on my appearance?" The dog demon demanded to know. He heard a sinister cackle in response to his demand.

"Perhaps I am."

"Murderer. Show yourself!" Kikyou ordered, the anger welling up in her.

"Ah, the lovely Kikyou. Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are when you scowl like that? Rage is quite becoming for you, my dear." The demon complimented with a whimsical air about him. Neither could figure out if he meant it or was just being cynical. "Do you like the barrier I put up? It's a special gift, just for you." The demon took a step closer towards the priestess who slouched over her bow, breathing heavily. Sesshoumaru was in front of her in less than a second. "Ah, how amusing. The pup is defending his human mistress." Sesshoumaru bared his fangs at the demon's mock.

"It doesn't matter to me who you are. I'll tear you apart."

"You dogs are all the same. Threaten their little human and they'll go feral. That's how your father died, right? Protecting a human woman he'd chosen over his superior demon mate." At that distasteful insult, Sesshoumaru lunged at him, beheading the half-demon with a single swipe of his claws.

"Was that... it?" Kikyou questioned disbelievingly as she went over to the pelt the demon had worn. She lifted it to uncover a strange doll of some sort, but could not sense any demon aura emanating from it. "I don't know if this is the last of him, but at least he's out of this village." She struggled as she began to make her way out of the castle. A group of wide-eyed villagers greeted her at the bottom, as well as what seemed to be the human lord of the castle.

"Lady priestess, we are forever in your debt," The lord began, giving the tired woman a handsome smile.

"It was no trouble." She gave the people around her an equally stunning smile, making many of them sigh in awe of such prettiness, in spite of the blotches of demon blood caked on her face.

"Please, stay the night here, young priestess. As a token of our thanks." The lord insisted, gesturing back towards the castle.

"No. I must get back." The stubborn woman proclaimed, but her struggle to stay up on her two legs weakened her resolve, as she tumbled over, falling to the ground as she finally gave into her weariness. Many villagers gasped in alarm, but before any of them could make a move to get to her, Sesshoumaru approached her from his place in the shadow of a nearby hut. He knelt down, not paying any attention to the curious stares of the surprised onlookers. "I must head back." She reiterated.

"No, you're in no condition to travel. We stay." Sesshoumaru decreed, his tone leaving no room for argument. Without further ado, he took the woman in his arms and easily hoisted her up, all the while not directing a single word toward any of the humans. Taking note of his continued silence and the look of slight impatience on his face, the humans took that as his silent consent to lead him up to a room for the priestess to sleep in. It wasn't long before two guards lead the odd pair up to a solitary room in the castle. Kikyou found herself unable to protest as her demon companion settled her down on the only futon in the room. The guards asked if he needed a room also, but he replied in the negative.

"I don't need to sleep." Was his enigmatic answer, leaving the two guards to exit the room, not sure of what else to do or offer. The grand demon lord settled himself in a corner of the room, facing her. He sat with one of his knees at level with his chest, the other leg he extended to its full length.

"Thank you." Were Kikyou's only words to him, closing her eyes in fatigue. It wasn't long before Sesshoumaru could hear her calm, deep breathing, signifying her transition into sleep. Sesshoumaru idly thought that he had never seen her do something so human ever before. Sure, she was human, but she always made it seem like she was a new type of being altogether – the way she conducted herself never pointed out to being either demon nor human. She was a strange one, he thought. Even in sleep, the priestess was by human (and demon) standards quite beautiful, with her long, dark lashes against porcelain skin and her silk straight hair fanning around her head like a dark halo. It was truly a shame she was human, Sesshoumaru mused.

He had the irksome urge to touch her.

And he reached out against his better judgment to play with a stray piece of silken black hair.

_Irksome? No. Not at all._

**XXX**

"Good morning, sirs." Kaede greeted the demon slayers at the entrance to the shrine that held the Shikon Jewel, her dog friend right behind her. Although Kikyou hadn't specified being near the jewel as her duties, the little girl thought that she'd go ahead and stand watch for a while anyway. It was very early in the morning and she didn't have any assigned duties until later. The men nodded at her in recognition and smiled as she passed by them and went into the shrine. She had never truly paid much heed to the shiny pink pearl that hung from its compartment, but now that it was there, without its protector, she truly realized how precious and strange it truly was. "Why does such a thing exist? Weird."

She and Taro sat in the dim light of morning for about an hour, about to leave, when a sudden commotion interrupted. Kaede could hear the concerned voices of the demon slayers, asking if someone was alright. And then she heard her sister.

"Kikyou! You're back!" Kaede shouted in glee as her sister opened the door to the shrine. The glee didn't last long when she realized that her sister's white haori stuck to her skin, drenched in blood. "Sister, what in the world happened to you?" The child asked in absolute terror. "Kikyou, you must tend to your wounds..." But the elder woman just rushed past her sister, grabbing the Shikon jewel by the necklace that held it. "Sister, please!" Kaede screamed in horror. All the while Taro barked cautiously at the unstable priestess.

"Leave me be, Kaede!" Was Kikyou's harsh rebuttal when the child tried to hold her hand. Too shocked and hurt to respond, Kaede stood glued to her spot in awe of Kikyou's admonishment.

"Sister Kikyou...?"

**XXX**

Inuyasha walked in solitude, still pondering on whether he should leave Kikyou forever or follow Myoga's advice and continue to persist. He felt it was all for naught – so much preoccupation over the same damn thing, but he couldn't help it. He longed to be with the petite priestess. She made him feel... like he belonged. She made him feel right. She didn't mock him, look down on him, or even fear him. She was different, and for that, he appreciated her, longed for her friendship, her... well, he wouldn't let himself complete that thought.

He snapped out of his reverie when he caught a whiff of her scent and her light footsteps.

"Kikyou...?" He wasted no time in scurrying over towards her direction, meeting her in no time at all. Her blood-drenched appearance; however, made him take a step back in disbelief. "What in the hell...? Kikyou! Who did this to you?" He closed the distance between them.

"Inuyasha! I'm going to die..." She spat out blood as she stumbled over herself and fell into Inuyasha's sturdy physique. He wrapped his arms around her frame to support the crimson-stained priestess.

"Kikyou, tell me! Who did this to you? I'll kill them! I swear it!" He vowed, watching her cough up more blood; he was utterly mortified.

"It was he..." She began after a hacking fit. "He who shares your blood! He, who betrayed me!" She sobbed, letting tears spill, "_Sesshoumaru._" Inuyasha swore he saw red. Red, like the color of the blood that languidly oozed over her clothes; that drenched her virgin white haori the same color as her hakama. Crimson. He saw crimson. Blistering, red hot rage. "Help me, Inuyasha. Help me take my revenge," and she put the Shikon Jewel in his hand, looking up at him with sorrowful chestnut eyes. It broke his heart.

"Kikyou, you don't mean...?" He gasped.

"It's the only way. The only way to end that demon's reign... Kill him, Inuyasha! Avenge me! If you truly love me!" She screamed in desperation; her tears mixing with the thick red blood on her face.

"I..."

"Inuyasha, no!" He heard Myoga call out to him, but all that mattered, all that ever did since he met her, was the life that was now dwindling away; that now hung by a thread, and for hurting this woman – the woman who was all compassion and caring and kindness and strength and intelligence and loveliness all combined – he swore, that the person who hurt her, he would kill.

Even if it was his only family.

**XXX**

**C. Mushroom says: **Okay, well, this was unusually long. I hope, dear reader, that you enjoyed it. Things will only get more intense. What will Inuyasha do? Will he succeed in killing Sesshoumaru? Will he heed Myoga's warning? Will Kikyou die? Where is Sesshoumaru? And where in the world is Naraku and Tsubaki? FIND OUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER OF UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERS!

Please review! Teehee.


	26. Demon

**XXX**

**Chapter 26: Demon  
**

**XXX**

Kikyou awoke confused and with a terrible headache. It took a lot of energy to just prop herself up into an upright position as she tried to combat her morning heaviness. It took a while before she was finally able to stand up, smoothing out her hakama and fixing the haori that had slightly came undone, revealing only a twinge of her ample cleavage. Even though it wasn't anything to huff over, the overly modest woman really hoped the demon, Sesshoumaru, had gone off as soon as he had settled her down on the futon. A soft call from behind the screen broke her flustered thoughts.

"Lady priestess, our lord asked me before heading to bed if you'd like to make use of our wash room before leaving?" A woman, a servant more specifically asked nervously; probably afraid to wake up Kikyou if she was asleep.

"Yes, that would be wonderful." Kikyou replied, wanting to cleanse herself of the grime that caked on her body after her run in with the demons from last night. _I'm sure everything in the village will be fine, anyway. _

As the palace servant showed Kikyou the location of the indoor bath, Sesshoumaru stood poised outside of the castle grounds, looking more like a godly statue than a bored dog demon. Although he wasn't there to personally witness Kikyou's awakening, he knew the woman was up and running, thanks to his superb ears and nose. He caught the disruption of her smooth, continuous breathing; the barely-there whine she made upon trying to rub the sleep off her eyes; the swishing of her garments as she stood up and stretched. It wasn't long, he noticed, before she was off; her light footfalls mixing in with the thumping of another person's more hurried pace. She was to bathe, he had heard.

Sesshoumaru had spent most of the night looming over Kikyou's sleeping form like a faithful sentinel, but wishing to avoid as many humans as possible, he had exited the palace before sunrise. The guards had made no fuss and let him do as he pleased, since they did owe him their lives. In his boredom, the grand demon began taking in all the scents that the breeze carried up to his sensitive nose. Most were inconsequential; they were just the smells of everyday life – the strong smell of a morning fire, the fresh scent of trees, the musty odor of sweating human men beginning the day to till their fields. His expression remained stoic until he caught a whiff of a particularly peculiar scent; it was faint, and at first he had dismissed it as just being a trick of the mind, but as a new breeze wafted that familiar but wan smell, his eyes narrowed in recognition. It wasn't until the pungent smell of human blood accompanied it that he sprang into action. He had to make sure it was what he thought it was. He sped into the forest, avoiding the trees; in seconds arriving at a close enough distance so that he could ascertain he was correct – and he was. There was something off about it – something more striking about the stench, but he was sure it was Inuyasha's and mixing in with it was human blood. He briefly considered accelerating towards the village and dispatching of Inuyasha once and for all, without Kikyou there to stop him, but thinking of how cross she'd be if he left without telling her, he decided against it as he raced back to the castle, using her scent as guidance to find where she was from the outside of the palace. Not wanting to deal with questioning humans, he located her and snuck into the mansion by gracefully jumping up through a screen window. Thankfully for him, most of the staff was still asleep, or just barely getting ready for a new work day. It was a relief that he didn't have to cope with meddlesome humans. Well, except for the young girl standing timidly outside of the room where Kikyou's fragrance emanated. Not thinking of how to avoid interacting with the girl, he merely approached her. She spooked at the sight of him, but more or less regained her composure when she recognized him as the priestess's friend.

"S-S-Sorry, sir, but the lady is bathing..." She mumbled nervously, her face flushed as she glanced up at the extremely tall and handsome man.

"Move."

"B-but, the lady..."

"Out of the way." He merely said as he continued closing the space between the girl and himself. The girl squeaked and dodged out of his way. He opened the sliding door haphazardly, startling the woman inside. She sat up suddenly and gasped in alarm, making the water around her slosh. For a split second, neither moved – Kikyou just gaped, trying to register what was going on, and Sesshoumaru allowed himself a second of indulgence before her arms and hands bolted to cover her naked upper torso. He turned away respectfully, but not forgetting the marvelous sight that would be forever imprinted in his mind.

"Sesshoumaru! Have you gone mad?!" She exclaimed in embarrassment. Had Sesshoumaru still been facing her, he would have caught the smoldering red hue on her usually cool countenance.

"Get dressed." He commanded, trying to forget the image of her comely figure. The subject of Inuyasha quickly eradicated any carnal desires from his thoughts. "Your village is in trouble."

"What?!"

"Just get dressed!" He snapped, knowing the longer she idled in her nudity, the more his head was tempted to entertain impure thoughts. She questioned him no more, quickly arising from the tepid water and shuffling around to pull on the clean priestess garments the servant had been kind enough to provide her with. A gift from the village priest, the girl had said. The clothes stuck to her wet skin uncomfortably, but there was no time to complain about such petty things as she rushed past Sesshoumaru, grabbing her bow and arrows from the entrance to the room. The pair bumped paths with various staff members, but the busy humans left the priestess alone, perceiving the worry etched on the young woman's face. Making her way out of the palace, she ran to where she had tied her horse, but Sesshoumaru halted her.

"You wouldn't get there on time. Leave it here." He warned her.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"We fly." He said bluntly. She stared at him, completely dumbfounded. He could fly? She wasn't allowed to ponder too hard about it as he motioned for her to hold onto the long pelt thing he wore around his body. Hesitatingly, she grabbed hold of the soft plush of his pelt, and at his command, she held onto it tightly. Before she could contemplate how they were supposed to fly, he was already up in the air, traveling much faster than the poor, old horse could ever hope to. She swore her stomach fell to her feet as he built up speed. Her wet mass of hair left loose trailed behind her, flapping violently in the wind. She wondered how the feeling of such rapid flight did not deter him like it did her. She stared at his back appreciatively, thankful to have him to warn her of danger. Her heart began to race as she conjured up the scene from earlier; when he walked in on her in the nude. She felt herself begin to blush furiously at the memory and only hoped Sesshoumaru could not sense her embarrassment.

_Kikyou, what are you thinking!? Focus. The village is at bay! Forget about it!_

**XXX**

"I-Inuyasha!? What's going on?!" Kaede shouted, demanding for an answer as Inuyasha approached her, looking menacing as he smiled at her with protruding fangs, red eyes, and jagged facial markings. He held the Shikon Jewel in one of his clawed hands. "Where's Kikyou?!" She inquired, remembering that her sister had last carried the jewel with her. He didn't reply, instead opting to saunter towards the frightened child with the dog in her arms. Scared of his strange behavior, the child began to run, barely missing one of Inuyasha's fatal strikes.

"Somebody help!" Kaede screamed at the top of her lungs. An injured demon slayer ran to her aid, throwing a large boomerang at the feral Inuyasha, stunning his pursuit for a moment. "Help!" She screamed again, tears beginning to spill from her eyes again. Dying was a horrible experience – she didn't want to go through that again! And where was her sister? The wounds her sister sported looked terrible. Had Inuyasha taken advantage of her sister's weakened state to rob the jewel? Inuyasha was once again hot on her trail; she could feel him stamping behind her, snickering maniacally all the while. Kaede felt her screaming was useless; the villagers who remained were probably all gone by then, or at least cowering in their huts, hidden from plain view. Nobody would save her. She was going to die. She thought the end was near when a dragon flew above her and covered Inuyasha with flames. She sighed in relief to see it was Jaken atop the dragon. From his odd staff he expelled fire that engulfed Inuyasha.

"What are you doing just standing?! Run, you stupid girl!" Jaken commanded.

"Thank you!" Kaede nodded as she ran, urging Taro to follow her. She hoped that with Jaken's fire and the dragon's blasts of energy, they would subdue Inuyasha, but it was too much to hope for, she knew, for even though Inuyasha was only half-demon, the demon blood that coursed through him was that of a superior demon – one that was of Sesshoumaru's caliber. This made Inuyasha stronger than lesser demons like Jaken and the dragon beast. Kaede heard Inuyasha cackle and Jaken scream as he barely missed a swipe from Inuyasha's elongated claws.

"Little demon, I mean, Jaken, get away from here!" Kaede shouted behind her.

"Did you really think that would be enough to stop me, you worthless toad?" Inuyasha's voice was an octave lower and ten times more threatening than she had ever heard on him. "You're nothing but dirt. You should be bowing down to me!" Inuyasha called after the escaping Kaede and Jaken.

"To a half-demon like you? Never!" Jaken retorted back snootily, to which Inuyasha replied by nearly striking the little demon as it ran into the wall of a hut. Impulsively, Kaede turned and ran towards the little demon and helped him on his feet.

"I'm a full-demon now, idiot."

"Please don't hurt us, Inuyasha!" Kaede begged, tears streaming down from her only eye. "Don't you remember me?" Inuyasha showed no sign of changing his mind; he seemed set on killing them. The little girl and the demon huddled together in fear. Inuyasha took a step forward, the sinister smile still on his face, but his kill was interrupted when the little Taro stood in front of the trembling Kaede and began to bark at the glowering demon protectively, his barely there fangs bared in loyal bravery. Sesshoumaru's pet dragon flew above Inuyasha, roaring in anger.

"Die, all of you."

"I think not!" A woman's voice accompanied the whizzing of an arrow as it flashed past them, meaning to distract the maddened Inuyasha.

"K-Kikyou." Inuyasha's eyes softened at the sight of her. "Kikyou, you're alive!" His red eyes began to fade to white and he put his claws to his head, holding it as if having an internal struggle with himself. "Help, I can't...!" But his red eyes reappeared - his seething gaze returning to the frightened child and midget demon.

"Inuyasha, no!" Kikyou cried out desperately, but fortunately, Sesshoumaru got a hold of Inuyasha and was able to throw him over his shoulder before he could slash at the helpless beings quivering on the floor. Kikyou ran to Kaede, bringing and smothering the child in her arms in relief of having gotten there in time to stop her sister's second death. "Get away from here, Kaede. Evacuate the remaining villagers. Understood?" The little girl nodded as Kikyou gave the child one more tight hug before urging her to go. Wasting no time, Kikyou ran after where Sesshoumaru had thrown Inuyasha to.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kikyou called out to the demon. Inuyasha and he were wrestling one another, but unlike the last times she had seen the brothers fight, Inuyasha was giving Sesshoumaru a difficult time. "His demonic aura... It's different. The jewel!" She gasped as she saw the shiny pink pearl dangling from Inuyasha's grasp.

"What's the matter, Sesshoumaru?" The younger male sneered, sidestepping out of the way of Sesshoumaru's light whip. "Can't handle your little brother?" Inuyasha mocked as he struck Sesshoumaru, hitting him square on the chest, his armor collapsing underneath the strength of the blow. Sesshoumaru merely glowered, knowing Inuyasha was toying with him. "Aw, cat got your tongue? Or should I say dog!?" The deranged former half-demon chortled as he managed to connect his fist with Sesshoumaru's jaw. The force of the punch threw Sesshoumaru back a good few meters, momentarily stunning him.

"You've made yourself a full-demon with the jewel." Sesshoumaru wiped the tiny trickling of blood from his mouth, grimacing all the while. "No matter. You're still a pathetic wretch in my eyes!" Kikyou saw Sesshoumaru's eyes flash red as he retaliated, pushing back the shorter Inuyasha with the force of his claw strike, but Inuyasha didn't let the hit deter him for more than a second, as he roared and swiftly sprang at his brother, brandishing his deadly and newly-acquired poisonous claws with a speed that even Sesshoumaru had trouble keeping up with.

Kikyou wanted to intervene with her arrows, but the speed at which the brothers were moving would make it impossible to hit her target, and she might mistakenly hit Sesshoumaru, in which case they would all be in severe danger. Instead she opted on trying to figure out a way to weaken Inuyasha, if even just for a moment. "Sesshoumaru! Take the jewel away from, that's where he's getting all that extra power!" She finally got an idea, running along with them, her sandals thunking against the ground. Sesshoumaru heeded her advice as he tried snatching the jewel from his younger brother, but much to Kikyou's dismay, this only opened up Sesshoumaru's defense, leading Inuyasha to take advantage of the situation to pierce Sesshoumaru's torso. "No! Stop Inuyasha! Please!" She shouted in vain, Inuyasha was far too gone into his demon self to hear her pleads.

"You can't even control your demon impulses. What a pitiful creature you are, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru sneered, shrugging off the fresh wound like it was just a scratch.

"Have you forgotten that we both share a father and thus the same blood? You're quick to hurl insults at me, Sesshoumaru, but now, we're on the same level!"

"You? At the same level as me? Your strength is but a lie – to me you're still just a petty half-breed. Know your place, little brother! Grovel at my feet!" Sesshoumaru retorted gruffly, leaping into the air before enveloping Inuyasha in the pelt he wore, attempting to strangle the half-demon before slamming him to the ground by Kikyou's feet.

"Inuyasha…" Kikyou softly called out to the stunned boy-demon. He directed his red gaze to her, his glare once again softening.

"Kikyou! Help… All I wanted..." But he wasn't able to finish his statement; his eyes returned to being the soul-less pools of bloody hatred that they were before. Kikyou did not rouse from her spot next to him, too fazed about the ordeal. Inuyasha had betrayed her trust; he had stolen the jewel while she was away for his selfish desires, so then why was he asking for help? She should kill him, like she did other demons, but as she fished for an arrow and aimed at him as he returned to stalking back to Sesshoumaru, she found that she could not release the arrow, and not only because her hand trembled.

"Grovel, you say? Only when you're dead and I'm laughing at the ground by your feet, you son of a bitch!" Inuyasha decried as he commenced his attack on Sesshoumaru once again, viciously swinging his claws to and fro. Kikyou's eyebrows were creased in apprehension as she witnessed Inuyasha's relentless barrage of slashes all directed towards his elder brother. Sesshoumaru wasn't far behind, as he dodged gracefully before landing a few blows, but she let out a sharp intake of breath when Inuyasha bested the older demon by landing a powerful jab to the stomach. Although a demon, Sesshoumaru was not immune to such things, and so he succumbed to the severe force of the blow. "Feh. Now look who's on his knees, bowing before me!" the cocky demon Inuyasha guffawed at the sight presented to him. His extremely proud demon half-brother was on his knees, his usually pristine attire stained with his blood, his wide eyes reddening in sheer anger and disgrace mixed to create an unadulterated rage. Before Inuyasha could continue on with his violent assault, Kikyou intervened, shielding Sesshoumaru, buying him time to recover from the blow.

"Stop, Inuyasha! How could you do this?!"

"Your human bitch has come to die with you. Isn't that just heart warming?" Inuyasha snarled sarcastically.

"I will not allow you to speak to me this way." Kikyou retorted, in back of her, Sesshoumaru started to let out a sickening growl of utter contempt. _Is this brash, contemptible demon truly Inuyasha? The half-demon I thought I knew would never disrespect me so. Or talk so cockily._

"K-Kikyou!" Demon Inuyasha relapsed, his golden eyes returning as he regained control of himself. "Kikyou, I never meant to hurt them!" He gasped as he grabbed at his head, seeming to struggle with himself. "I just… need to kill Sesshoumaru, and that's it."

"Inuyasha, please don't! Give me back the jewel…" Kikyou pleaded, taking a few steps towards the unstable half-demon.

"Kikyou, I am in –" But Inuyasha wasn't allowed to finish, as Kikyou hurled herself at him, embracing him.

"I know now," She comforted, "Don't say it, Inuyasha. If it is so, then please stop this."

"I will not stop until he is dead!" Inuyasha's voice dropped to a rasp as he roughly threw the priestess to the ground, towering over her in agitation, but before Inuyasha could harm her further, Sesshoumaru emerged from the ground - his eyes still the color of blood as he launched himself at Inuyasha; letting his demon wrath show to compete on par with Inuyasha's. "I got my wish, and now as a full-demon, I'll kill every single last one of these humans and Sesshoumaru!" Sesshomaru said nothing as the stripes on his cheeks grew jagged and his fangs seemed to lengthen in his anger.

_At this rate, even Sesshoumaru will be in trouble. Inuyasha's incredibly strong… I have to stop this, or else. _

Kikyou took aim once again, trying to focus her energy on the arrow, trying to forget the oncoming sadness of disappointment trying to overcome her senses. Inuyasha failed her. He was a rotten traitor who had tried to take advantage of her by feigning friendship. Even earlier, when she had embraced him in an attempt to subdue his violence, he had to have been pretending. Why else would he have taken the jewel?

"Inuyasha! How could you betray me!?" Kikyou shouted before letting her arrow rip through the air, lodging into Inuyasha's torso and pinning him to the nearest tree, Goshinboku, the God tree.

"K-Kikyou?!" Inuyasha cried out disbelieving after the priestess standing a distance away, her the string of her bow still quivering in the silence. His eyes returned to their former molten gold color, but the jagged demon markings still remained. "You… Why?" He felt his eyes grow heavy ans let the jewel fall from his clawed talons as he stared confusedly at the beautiful woman. Sesshoumaru snapped from his angry stupor to stand besides the frowning priestess. "You… lied. Kikyou… why? I…" But he wasn't able to pronounce his last thoughts, as his eyelids shut and his mouth fell slack.

"What did you do?" Sesshoumaru asked, irritated that she had interfered and hadn't let him finish Inuyasha off.

"I've sealed him to a tree." She merely said, receiving Sesshoumaru's questioning glare, she further explained, "That arrow has put him into an eternal sleep. He shall never wake from it unless I desire him to." She looked sad.

"Awaken him!" Sesshoumaru ordered, "I shall dispose of him. You're intervention was unnecessary."

"No. Let him be, the spell will not break without my consent."

"To hell with that! You're going to let him get away with a painless death after what he did?" Sesshoumaru tried to reason with her, but the woman stayed stubborn. "Don't tell me you love him?" His face once again let itself manifest agitation – or was it jealousy?

"I do not. You were in danger and the only way to subdue Inuyasha was to seal him!" She countered back.

"Danger? In danger due to a dirty half-breed? I think not." He retorted brusquely.

"Look at yourself! You're bleeding profoundly. Can't you just gulp down your pride just once and let it be? Inuyasha invaded my village and tried to kill my sister. And he…" She paused briefly, "And he was using the jewel to increase his power… to hurt you! You may be a demon, but you're not invincible. Can't you just accept that I care about you!" He scrutinized her then, his eyes dancing across her dark, creased eyebrows and her unusually expressive ochre eyes. He stepped closer towards her, too close, she thought, as his hands lingered on the air above her shoulders, seeming to want to grasp her. In anger or in passion, he wasn't sure. The petite priestess drove him wild. She stirred in him feelings he had not ever known before. Possessiveness, jealousy, fondness, desire. He was ashamed of himself for esteeming a human, for putting her on a pedestal above all others even with her dirty blood. But she was his human – no, he thought, such a pleasant creature couldn't be lumped together in that disgraceful category; she was his human that was not a human. He contemplated on settling his hands on her, but wasn't allowed to carry out the action, as a new trespasser entered the scene. Both turned their heads rapidly to the tree Inuyasha was pinned on to set their alarmed stares on the baboon-clad demon from the night before.

"You." Sesshoumaru was the first to speak.

"Yes, me." The demon laughed quietly underneath his disguise. He stopped his procession just before reaching the spot where the jewel had dropped from Inuyasha's hands.

"The jewel." Kikyou gasped, but Sesshoumaru was on it as he zapped to the mysterious demon's place, only the man had already nabbed the jewel. Sesshoumaru was too late, for once. "Damn!" She cursed at her incompetence, readying her bow for attack again.

"What a lovely color the jewel glows when it is corrupted by hatred. Wouldn't you agree?" The baboon-man questioned cynically, holding the jewel in his hand. "I'd be careful with that arrow, Kikyou. You might shatter the jewel, and that would be troublesome for us all." The jagged magenta stripe on Inuyasha's cheeks disappeared and his fangs and talons returned to their normal size. Sesshoumaru moved to take the jewel, but the man leapt out of the way into the air and unleashed a tentacle from underneath his white pelt, meaning to attack Sesshoumaru, but the dog demon easily evaded him. Sesshoumaru was about to make a hit, but before he could advance, he was enveloped in a lavender light that came from the jewel.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kikyou cried worriedly, unleashing her sacred arrow at the demon. The disguised demon merely laughed as he moved out of the way, the arrow only blasting off his arm. The demon continued to chortle, seeming to not feel the pain of losing an arm. The light surrounding the dog demon faded and he fell to the ground. Kikyou's eyes widened at the sight, completely at a loss as to what had occurred. Sesshoumaru grunted in pain, clutching at the injuries Inuyasha had inflicted on him. But what had distraught the priestess more was the demon's appearance. His brilliant white hair was no more; it had turned coal black, mirroring her own raven black locks of silk. His facial markings were gone – the crescent moon on his forehead and the stripes on his cheeks that demonstrated his demon lineage, and most surprisingly, his once honey-colored were replaced by burnt brown irises. Kikyou was brought out of her stupor only when the man with the jewel in his possession cut the silence with his crow of laughter. Sesshoumaru, unaware of his physical transformation, ignored the look of astonishment on the priestess's face and instead propped himself up to a stand, wincing all the while at the searing pain that pierced him to his very bones. Never had he felt such ardent pain in his life before. After just barely getting up, the demon caved in to the agony, landing on the floor in his pool of blood. Kikyou ran to him, kneeling by his side.

"How does it feel, Sesshoumaru? To be a weakling human you so despise! Kukukuku!" Kikyou made a choking noise at the demon's revelation while Sesshoumaru fisted his clawless hand in frustration and disbelief. "I am Naraku. Remember that!" The demon bellowed. Kikyou readied her bow again and shot at him, but unfortunately the demon swiftly made an escape. She considered running after him, but at Sesshoumaru's low whine, she decided that at that moment, Sesshoumaru was the priority, since his death was imminent if she didn't stop his bleeding. She glided back to him, gently grabbing him and turning him over so that he lay on his back. She tried moving him to somewhat carry him and drag him back to her hut, but her strength had its limits – his weight was too much for her slender form to carry. Kikyou started to worry of Sesshoumaru's survival. She felt herself grow light-headed in slight panic.

"Sister Kikyou!" Kaede called, a few men tagging behind her along with Jaken. "Kikyou, w-who is this? Is this Sesshoumaru?!" The child shrieked at the sight of her sister's priestess garb soiled with blood - the same blood that drenched Sesshoumaru's normally immaculately clean outfit.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Oh, what has happened to you, sire!?" Jaken cried at the sight.

"Men, please help me get this man into the hut! He is dying and needs urgent attention!" Kikyou commanded sternly. "We must hurry!"

"Yes, lady Kikyou!" The man at the front bowed before two men crowded around Sesshoumaru, ready to heave him up. Sesshoumaru only let out an uncharacteristic groan of pain before passing out from loss of blood.

**XXX**

"So why didn't you just take Kikyou now?" A curious Tsubaki asked Naraku as he entered the old shrine he had been occupying.

"Now where's the fun in that? I want to see his face when I pluck her from him. I want him to be fully conscious and then, my dear, his humiliation will be complete." Naraku explained evilly, removing the baboon pelt that he hid himself under.

"If you say so…"

**XXX**

**C. Mushroom Says: **And yet another chapter! OH NO! Our beloved Lord Sesshoumaru has been turned into a human… Now he's going to be feeling true pain. So what will happen next…? Will he make it? And what of poor Inuyasha, who couldn't control his demon blood from making him into a total douche? FIND OUT NEXT CHAPTER! Stay tuned!

P.S. Thank you reviewers! You guys are awesome and give me inspiration to write more. SO KEEP 'EM COMING! Tee hee.


	27. Normal Woman

**C. Mushroom says: **Sesshoumaru and Kikyou bonding time! WOO! THIS WAS A TOUGHIE.

**XXX**

**Chapter 27:** Normal Woman

**XXX**

"Where have you been, woman?! You can't just leave Lord Sesshoumaru alone!" Jaken scolded the approaching young priestess with the bushel of herbs in her arms.

"He was not alone. Kaede watched over him." Kikyou replied tersely as she passed him and entered the hut she called a home. Sesshoumaru laid on the futon Kikyou used daily to sleep, his eyes closed in a chaotic rest. "Kaede, has he awakened at all?" Kikyou asked, setting the basket full of freshly picked herbs next to where Sesshoumaru lay.

"No, he hasn't. Is he going to be okay?" Kaede replied worriedly. Kikyou didn't get a chance to reply as she was interrupted by Jaken's sudden burst into tears.

"Oh, Lord Sesshoumaru!" The little demon bawled. "How could this have happened to you?!" Kikyou had informed both Kaede and Jaken of the unfortunate circumstances of the day before, causing Jaken to break down in grief. Sesshoumaru may have easily walked off the wounds from his battle with Inuyasha had he still been a demon, but since he was turned into a human by the jewel's power, his wounds were dangerous to his life.

"I will do all in my power to keep him alive and well." Was Kikyou's only answer as she pulled the sheet that covered him out of the way, revealing his bare, but battered upper torso into view. His bandages were bloodied, but at least the bleeding had not gotten any worse. "Kaede, this is not a sight for one so young. Go check on the injured and ask if they need anything."

"Yes, of course, sister." Kaede obediently left the scene, leaving only the sleeping Sesshoumaru and Jaken to accompany Kikyou.

"Is it getting better?" Jaken sniffled inquisitively.

"Yes, it's not bleeding as profusely." Kikyou assured, her hands climbing up the man's chest to start removing the sullied bandages. Jaken gasped at the gruesome state of his lord's gash. There were many bruises and minor lacerations scattered about the former demon's muscular physique, but the large tear that started just below his right shoulder blade and ended at his sternum was the most devastating of all the wounds. Jaken almost fainted. Kikyou was used to such sights; she just merely wet a cloth in the bowl of lukewarm water next to her and dabbed at the wound. At the first press, Sesshoumaru stirred. "Sesshoumaru…?"

"Woman, what in the world are you doing?" Sesshoumaru spoke through gritted teeth, grabbing Kikyou's wrist to stop her from bringing down the cloth to his wound again.

"Oh, Lord Sesshoumaru! Oh, my lord, I was so worried. I thought you were a goner and I was so sad –" Jaken began to ramble in happiness, but he was cut off by a threatening glare from Sesshoumaru.

"Quiet, Jaken! Your incessant chatter irritates me!" Sesshoumaru snapped at the lesser demon. Jaken bowed, imploring forgiveness.

"How about you wait outside? Sesshoumaru appears to be in a foul mood." Kikyou suggested almost breezily. She didn't say it, but she was quite relieved the demon lord had woken up, given that it meant he was recovering. Jaken trotted away reluctantly, but knew it was better for his life if he didn't continue to badger Sesshoumaru. "Now how about letting me go. Whether you like it or not, that wound needs to be cleaned."

"It will heal on its own." He was trying his hardest to keep a straight face, but Kikyou could tell the pain was unbearable.

"Have you forgotten? That demon, Naraku, wished upon the jewel to take away your demonic powers. You are but a human now. And humans don't just magically heal over time." She reasoned logically. The newly-turned human kept losing his cool; he flared up and snarled in rage.

"That dirty half-breed bastard. He'll die by my hands." Sesshoumaru clenched his fist, wanting to sit up, but Kikyou held him by the shoulders and he let out a low howl of fresh pain.

"Stop that! You're human now, remember? Right now, you'll just bleed to death if you move too much." Kikyou chided sternly. The man's scowl did not fade, but at last he let go of her dainty wrist, which she rubbed at broodingly before returning to dipping the cloth into the bowl of water, cautiously nearing it to the contusion, afraid of his reaction at the pain. He clenched his fists at the touch as he did all in his power not to howl. "Sorry…" She whispered. He said nothing as she kept dabbing at his chest, cleaning the laceration as gently as she could before bandaging it up in new, unsoiled wrappings. A low hiss escaped from his mouth at the touch of the cool wrappings on his raw skin. Satisfied with her work, she reached into the basket beside her to pick a few herbs. "Here, chew these to help alleviate the pain." She offered him a type of plant, but he didn't even turn to look at her.

"I will not stoop so low as to ingest human medicine." He curtly replied; his hazel gaze fixed upon the roof of the hut.

"You are insufferable." Kikyou sighed, starting to prefer the slumbering Sesshoumaru rather than the difficult man she was dealing with. Was it that his human conversion had rendered him more irritable? Or was he always so impossible? "I'm going to leave these here. It's up to you whether you'd rather be in agony or swallow your pride." She stood up, heading towards the screen door.

"Where are you going?" Sesshoumaru called after the woman's retreating form.

"You're not the only one who needs attention." Was her cryptic response, "I'll be back later." She added, not even giving him a second glance as she left.

Sesshoumaru eyed the herbs Kikyou had left precariously at his side. _Stubborn woman, _Sesshoumaru thought to himself, annoyed by the fact that she had ignored his tantrum and had opted to attend to other's needs instead of his. He was most important; he deserved her full attention. He thought of how she had spared Inuyasha, and his grimace deepened.

Tired of lying on his back, he attempted to lean on his side, but only managed to curse at the sudden stab of pain as he reeled back to the position he had been in previously – on his back. He staggered at the continuous spasm of anguish that panged through his body; his reminder of the helpless state he was in. Never before had he ever felt such affliction in his life before; the raw stinging from his wounds was entirely new to him – pain had always just felt like a dull pang compared to the fire he was feeling at the moment; just a shadow of the sharp, scathing horror he felt now. In his dread, he blindly grasped at the herbs at his side and chewed furiously. It didn't take long for the plant to take its effect and dull the pounding by a good notch. His mind wandered to the times when Kikyou had been injured. Did she feel the same atrocious pangs each time she was hurt? He conjured up memories of her previous injuries, remembering that her beatings had looked painful, and that despite the horrid agony she must have been feeling, she had always put on a strong façade - as if the pain was merely an annoying setback and not the roaring flames he felt raining down on his flesh. And despite it all, he realized, she had smiled through it.

_What a woman, _he thought; his respect for her growing by a considerable amount.

**XXX**

"I am terribly sorry for the loss of your comrades, chief Shako. If only I had been here sooner." Kikyou lamented sincerely; looking dejected for her most recent defeat. Two of the demon slayers had died in the fight against Inuyasha while the rest were badly injured. The chieftain, Shako, had luckily managed to escape with just a sling for his broken arm and bandages around his torso for a minor abdominal laceration.

"Please, Lady Kikyou, do not blame yourself. We beckoned you to help us get rid of that demon. You are in no way at fault." The kind chieftain of the demon exterminators assured the young woman. "If anything, we are to blame. For not being strong enough to handle the wicked demon of the village and the so-called Inuyasha as well." The middle-aged man sighed.

"You did your best. Inuyasha was almost invincible in his beast form."

"But I must ask, Lady Kikyou. How did you recover from that wound you sported so fast?" Shako asked, pointing to her shoulder. "Surely with an injury like the one I saw, you should be bedridden right now. Yet you seem perfectly fine." The tall man rubbed at his chin thoughtfully.

"Injury?" Kikyou inquired. Her thoughts immediately went to the time when a swarm of demons had attacked the village under the false guise of Sesshoumaru's command. That was the most recent injury she could remember, and although it hadn't completely been healed, she was bemused at how the demon slayer could tell it had existed on her. Had he seen her change clothes or bathe? Only in nudity could he have noticed the faint traces of the battle scar. It also could have been Sesshoumaru's blood that the man had confused as her own. She had been soaked in it, after all. "Well, I'm not sure. It really wasn't as bad as it looked." She dismissed his question confusedly.

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm glad it's fine."

"Once again, I am terribly sorry for what has happened to the jewel. You put all your trust on me, and I've gone and lost it." Kikyou bowed her head in shame.

"Regarding the jewel, as chief of the Taijiya clan, I will order for a search. The jewel will be found, Lady Kikyou." The man spoke confidently, giving the priestess lass a reassuring smile.

_And then I shall go back to purifying it, _Kikyou mused sadly. "I shall too begin a search."

"No, my lady, your first responsibility is to take care of the injured, especially that peculiar man. His wounds are grave, lady Kikyou; he, along with all the other sick villagers, are your first priority." The demon slayer friendly patted her on the back. "Let the Taijiya clan be useful to you."

**XXX**

Sesshoumaru regained consciousness once again sometime at night, he realized, for the hut was dimly illuminated by a solemn candlelight up against the wall. He put a hand to his forehead, trying to remember when he had fallen into a deep doze, but to no avail – he could not recall. He groaned wearily, hating the heaviness that came with being a human. His nose felt stuffed and his ears felt like they were plugged. He blinked and squinted around to analyze his surroundings; not being accustomed to relying on his eyesight so much – his ears and nose especially had always been sufficient enough to know exactly where he was and who he was with, but ruefully, his senses were dulled and he just had to make do with his mediocre human abilities. His hazel eyes flickered around to catch a glimpse of charcoal black. Even in the opaque-orange light of the cabin, Kikyou's straight obsidian hair shined marvelously. She seemed to have been brushing it back to subdue it within the confines of the white ribbon that she had entangled over the fingers of her right hand. Kikyou ensnared her straining black tresses in the white tie, while he watched completely mesmerized by the kind of easy grace she handled everything with. Kikyou was the paragon of simple elegance, he concluded.

"Why do you tie it back?" Sesshoumaru's deep, masculine voice rang, making her jump at the suddenness.

"I didn't know you were awake. How are you feeling?" She asked, turning to face him before standing up to sit by his side. She had been sitting by a small table, he recognized, where he saw she had a variety of trinkets he could not distinguish in the meager light.

"I asked why you tied your hair back." Sesshoumaru reiterated, "It looks better down." The second statement took her by surprise, as her russet eyes peered into his stoic browns questioningly.

"Well, I do it to keep it from getting in my way." She replied, matter-of-factly, as she placed her hand against his forehead, checking for a fever, "And I repeat: are you feeling alright?" She persisted with her question as well, bemused at his strange comment. Sesshoumaru was usually not one to waste his words on such trite things as almost-compliments.

"My body is that of a fragile human, how do you think I feel?" He replied grumpily.

"I take it as not very well. Or so your bad humor suggests." Her laugh twinkled in his un-pointed human ears. He was about to make a snarky remark, but was caught off when his stomach growled in hunger. Kikyou let out another of her twinkling laughs; Sesshoumaru seeming to be absolutely livid at the undignified behavior of his body and the burlesque manner of the priestess. "I thought you might be hungry." Kikyou spoke again, offering him what seemed to be roasted fish. "I thought about asking what you preferred, but there isn't much to choose from right now…" She said, offering the food to him.

"I don't eat human food." Sesshoumaru frowned at the charred fish which the priestess presented to him.

"Well then, what do you usually eat?" Kikyou sighed.

"Raw meat." He replied bluntly. Instead of boiling up in anger or reproaching him for such a disgusting diet, the young woman laughed. "You dare make fun of me?"

"No, no; it's just for a moment I was afraid of the answer. I thought maybe you were going to say your diet consisted of the flesh of human children or something along those lines." Kikyou continued with her chuckling.

"That is disgusting."

"But you cannot eat raw meat. It will make you sick." She finally stopped with her playful tone, getting back down to business. Sesshoumaru eyed the fish, supposing it was better than sipping on the gruel humans were so inclined to eat. He grudgingly accepted her offer, scowling the entire time he ate it. He gratefully sipped the water she handed to him after the humiliating ordeal. But he had no choice; he knew humans recuperated faster if they were well fed.

"What are you staring at?" Sesshoumaru asked the young priestess who the entire time had been intently gazing at him. She snapped out of her trance and offered an apologetic small smile.

"It's just… I've never seen you do something as normal as eating."

"Hm. You wouldn't want to see me hunting. It wouldn't be so normal, then." He retorted. She said nothing as she stood up and sauntered towards the short table she had been at earlier, grabbing something before stalking back to him. Before he could voice any questions, Kikyou put a mirror up to the level of his face, answering his unvoiced query with her self-explanatory action. Absently, his left hand traced where his facial markings should have been – the two maroon stripes on each of his cheeks and the blue crescent moon on his forehead. But they were gone. There was just his porcelain skin; no adornments. His eyes were the common human brown and his hair a glossy black. He grimaced at his mundane facial features.

"What's wrong?" Kikyou asked at the deep frown on his striking human face.

"I look pathetic." Sesshoumaru scoffed.

"You look human, not pathetic." She assured, "I'm sure a lot of humans would kill to look like you."

"Hm?"

"Most dream of being handsome. I'm sure even a demon can understand vanity." She explained. Had Sesshoumaru still been a demon, he would have caught the whiff of embarrassment in her gaze, as she had just admitted to him he was good-looking. "I think you're well acquainted with aesthetics, actually. Seeing as how you complained of your human appearance. Not to mention your fancy attire." She pointed out.

"I could say the same for you, priestess. Keeping a mirror? How vain of you." Kikyou arched an eyebrow at the accusation. She had always thought that keeping a mirror was commonplace.

"Well, you should be glad the jewel allowed you to keep your youth. If it had changed you into the age you truly are, you wouldn't have been so fortunate in terms of looks. I take it you have been alive for a while now." Kikyou spoke, hoping to strike up a more interesting conversation than one about vanity.

"Hmph, I'd be nothing but a pile of dust." He agreed, smirking a bit at the inevitably short life span of humans. "How old are you anyway, woman?"

"Seventeen." She simply responded, "And it's Kikyou, not woman."

"You're just a girl." _A girl with the wisdom beyond her years, _he added inwardly. Her eyes glistened in the soft glow of the candlelight; he was glad that at least inferior human vision could not dispel her inherent prettiness. Only as a human did he realize how awfully pretty the girl was and how much that made him want to reach out and touch her unblemished skin - her untouched, virgin flesh. He curiously wondered what it would feel like to touch her with human hands. Would she feel the same or would she feel different? He tried to think back at what she felt like, but couldn't conjure a vibrant enough memory since his touches had always been so fleeting. Was the texture of her human skin inferior to that of a demoness's? No, but Kikyou wasn't just a typical human, he had to chastise himself for forgetting. Never would he allow a typical human to dress his wounds, bring him food, and much less would he ever have an idle chat with one. They were all so unbelievably stupid that he was sure none but Kikyou could ever keep his interest piqued.

Impulsively, the former demon lord brought a large hand up to the girl's face. This time, he did not retract his hand immediately after making contact, instead letting the feeling of her complexion ingrain itself into his mind, genuinely curious as to what she felt like. He briefly thought upon the absurdity of his actions – were they the result of a weakened human mind? As soon as the reservations came, he damned them all too hell. The girl did not move at first, but after registering what he was doing, she tried turning her face away, only he used his hand to direct her back to him. He felt her face grow warm underneath his gentle touch. Wanting to feel friction, he let his hand travel downwards to her delicate chin and then glided down to her neck, only to be impeded by the obstructive blouse of her priestess garment. He almost growled at the hindrance. This is when Kikyou came out of her own fascination and pushed the demon's hand away gently, blushing faintly all the while. "Sesshoumaru…?" She mouthed out questioningly, the way her lips formed the syllables of his name sending a bolt of desire through him. The memory of her comely figure from the day before set him aflame. As a demon, he had his emotions and desires under control, but as a human, he had a harder time controlling his raging manly urges to hold her and take her as his own. It was appalling to the barely-there demon conscious that still clung onto him, but at the same time, his rational mind came to the conclusion that the shameful yearning was not a product of his humanity – rather, it was independent of both the humanity that had been granted to him and the demon-blood he was born with; no, his base cravings were the product of being a man. Human or demon, that innocent stare she was giving him heated him up more than any sultry demon vixen could ever hope to. His demon side also craved to claim the young lass before him, as much or even more so than his human self, although his pride had always held him back.

"Be quiet." Was all Sesshoumaru said as he seized the young human girl by the face and pulled her closer towards his sitting form. The movement was gentle; she could have broken it easily, yet she chose not to even knowing she shouldn't allow him to even lay a hand on her, but there was something about that strange burnt-golden stare of his that paralyzed her. His narrow, judgmental gaze fixed upon her startled expression; scanning every feature on her face – the big molten eyes, the full-but-not-bushy eyebrows, the pink rosebud lips in the form of a questioning pout. He felt himself leaning in closer to the woman, wanting to get a taste of her, but the moment laced with tension was broken abruptly by a high-pitched voice.

"Kikyou! Sorry I took so long to come back! There was just so much –" But Kaede stopped, shocked by the bizarre sight presented to her. She turned away, her face aflame, while Kikyou yanked herself away from Sesshoumaru's grasp and he crossed his arms over his bare chest. "Maybe I should leave…"

"Ah, Kaede, no." Kikyou stood up, flustered by the compromising situation Kaede found her in. "You should rest now." Kikyou said, motioning towards where a second futon lay, behind a screen. The young girl nodded uncomfortably, but knew she really had no choice.

"But sister, where will you sleep?" Kaede asked, once settled underneath the thin blanket.

"Worry not, Kaede." Was the elder woman's sole reply. As soon as Kikyou was sure the child had fallen asleep, she let out a sigh, returning back from out of the screen, sitting with her knees tucked underneath at her table.

"Are you not going to sleep?" Kikyou heard Sesshoumaru's whisper.

"No, I need to be alert." She answered, preoccupying her hands with something he could not see, as her back was to him, "But you should continue to rest." She added. The young woman found herself without the will to face him in her current state. She sighed wistfully one last time before Sesshoumaru fell into a deep slumber once again. Only then did she turn to look at him; silently admiring his very beautiful physique. Perfection embodied, that was what he was, with his handsome countenance and his chiseled chest. Kikyou's hand carelessly ran up to finger the white ribbon in her hair, pulling it out from her dark tresses as she grabbed the forgotten mirror to look upon her reflection. She touched her face forlornly before setting the mirror down.

**XXX**

Two weeks had passed since Inuyasha had attacked the village and Naraku had stolen the jewel. As Shako had promised, the whole of the demon slayer clan was on the search for the Shikon jewel. Kikyou felt like she should go on her own search, but the chief of the demon slayers had made her promise that she would stay in the village and protect the weak. If the demon slayers found any leads, the chief had guaranteed that she would be informed, in which case, she would go and retrieve it.

Kikyou sighed at the thought of the havoc that the demon Naraku must have been causing as she flapped out the white blouse patterned with red cherry blossoms that Sesshoumaru always wore, hanging the wet item of clothing on a clothesline she had set up outside her hut. The demon-turned-human was well enough to walk around after a week. Ever since then, he had taken an initiative to disappear for most of the day, returning in the evening. Although Sesshoumaru didn't say anything to betray his whereabouts, Kikyou guessed he hung around the parameters of the village, since the stoic demon lord had gained quite the popularity, especially among the ladies.

"Have you seen that man that follows Lady Kikyou around? He's so handsome!" Kikyou had overheard an adolescent girl once talking to her friends.

"He's not just handsome, he's gorgeous!" Another girl had squealed in response. "Who do you think he is? I think he's some type of mercenary, seeing as how he has a sword at his hip."

"I bumped into him the other day and tried starting a conversation, but he completely ignored me." Another girl had pouted, "But people have only seen him talking to Kikyou. I think he's in love with her! It's obvious he doesn't have eyes for anyone else."

Kikyou chuckled darkly at the memory, the ridiculousness of the demon lord being in love with her making her laugh. "Have you gone mad, priestess?" A voice interrupted her. It was Sesshoumaru, she realized, with Jaken trailing close behind him.

"You're back early." Kikyou chose to not acknowledge his aforementioned question, continuing with hanging random clothes to air dry. "It's only past midday."

"Jaken, hand me the box." Sesshoumaru ordered, the little demon quickly obeyed his lord, giving him a medium-sized rectangular container. The tall man then approached the raven-haired priestess, holding out the container out to her.

"Is this… for me?" She asked before tentatively taking it from him.

"Yes. It is two weeks overdue. I had forgotten about it." Sesshoumaru explained briefly, turning on his heel to once again disappear into the confines of the forest. Kikyou glanced curiously at the box she clutched, walking back into her hut where Kaede was picking out herbs.

"What's that, sister?" Kaede asked, forgetting about the task she was handling to stare at what Kikyou held in her arms.

"It's from Sesshoumaru." Kikyou simply said, setting the box down and opening it to reveal a beautiful kimono folded neatly within. Kikyou and Kaede both gasped in unison at the fine article of clothing. From what they could tell, the elegant cloth was a delicate ivory in color, with lavender flower embellishments sprinkled on the sleeves, shoulders, and hems of the kimono. On closer inspection, the girls noted that the pretty purple blossoms were none other than bellflowers, the flowers of Kikyou's namesake.

"Oh sister, it's beautiful!" Kaede chimed, never before having seen such high quality attire in her young life. Kaede turned from the beautiful fabric to examine her sister's face. Her sister was smiling – a gorgeous grin adorned her usual serious expression. "Just like you, Kikyou." The girl giggled sheepishly.

"Kaede, you flatter me too much." Kikyou turned her pretty smile to her sister, "Judging by the quality, I guess this was very expensive. How can I accept such a thing?"

"He's Lord of the Western Lands. I'm sure he's not broke over it." Kaede assured. "I think you should try it on for him tonight. Oh, it's fit for a lady." Kaede suggested mischievously.

"That's right; it is fit for a lady. Not a priestess." Kikyou agreed, almost sorrowfully, as she put the lid back on the box. "I'll be back." Was all the young woman said as she exited the hut, leaving Kaede to stare at her dumbfounded.

"Was it something I said?" Kaede asked herself, scratching at her head.

The kimono was beautiful. Despite her status as priestess, Kikyou had never accepted monetary gifts from anybody who needed her help and thus lead a very limited, but comfortable lifestyle. She wasn't like other priestesses like Tsubaki, whom liked to surround themselves with lavish objects and clothing; no, Kikyou felt that no payment was necessary for her services. Like Kaede, the kimono was probably the finest garment Kikyou had ever laid her eyes upon. She couldn't piece together why Sesshoumaru would reward her with such a beautiful gift. He knew she could not wear it; priestesses always wear their uniforms. Except in times of festivals, of course, but she doubted Sesshoumaru was familiar with human festivities. She dared to ponder on an earlier memory, when the teenager she had overheard had claimed that Sesshoumaru loved her. She expelled that thought from her head in consternation.

"What a ridiculous thought. Love? Surely he wouldn't be. On the other hand - " But she didn't finish, as she realized that her leisurely pace had lead her to the tree where she had pinned Inuyasha to Goshinboku. She came there often. There was something about Inuyasha's peaceful sleep that made her feel at ease.

**XXX**

It was late at night and Kaede was fast asleep. Sesshoumaru had not returned from wherever he was lurking around that day, leaving a curious Kikyou to stare at the beautiful kimono Sesshoumaru had left her earlier. She touched the silky material with her fingers, pondering on whether to try it on just once, to see what it felt like for at least a moment to be a normal woman – an ordinary adolescent girl who could enjoy something so mundane like a new fashion trend. Her mind made, Kikyou shrugged out of her dull, everyday priestess robes, leaving her only in her underwear. She pulled the navy blue under-layer kimono from the box first, draping it over her shoulders and followed it with the actual kimono itself, securing it around her waist with the pretty navy blue sash that came with it. Unknown to Kikyou, Kaede peered at her sister through her only eye, admiring the older girl's gorgeousness.

_Kikyou looks so happy… And so beautiful. I wish she could always smile like that. Kikyou, sister, are you in love? _Kaede mused sleepily while Kikyou tried looking at her reflection using her small handheld mirror.

A noisy commotion outside brought Kikyou out from her daydream. Having no time to change out of the fancy kimono, she merely grabbed her bow and arrows and made her way outside into the cold air of fall. She perched an arrow on her bow string, ready to fire at the intruder, whom she sensed to be human.

"I see you've tried it on." A stray voice from behind startled her, causing her to release the arrow out unto the void of darkness that was the surrounding forest. She knew that low timbre all too well. She turned to find Sesshoumaru sitting cross-legged behind her on a tree stump. "That priestess garb really does you no justice." He commented blandly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She scoffed; a little annoyed at his continuing need to scare the living wits out of her. The regal man emerged onto his feet, sauntering towards her petite form with only a few long strides.

"It means exactly what it sounds like." His reply was said in a condescending tone, but his burnt-gold oculars settled upon her form appreciatively. "This, on the other hand, does. I really do have good taste."

"Ah, I must agree your fashion sense is admirable." Kikyou laughed softly, "It really is very beautiful. But I must ask the reason behind such a gracious gift."

"I tire of seeing you in the same attire." The demon lord replied dryly. Kikyou couldn't make out it if he was joking or not - she could not fathom that indifferent expression of his, as per usual.

"That's too bad," She began regretfully, "for you will have to just accept my usual garments. Priestesses aren't exactly fashion icons. You know that." He didn't reply to her witty comeback; instead, he chose to invade her personal space, pushing her back until she pressed back into a tree. His hand ensnared itself into her hair, untying the white ribbon that held it all together and his bronze stare landed upon her slightly parted lips, as he thought of his unfinished advance from two weeks ago.

So he kissed her.

Kikyou gasped into his mouth in surprise and he took the opportunity to get a taste of her, delving into the depths of her sweet mouth. Too shocked and too inexperienced to react, Kikyou was frozen, letting him dominate her – only momentarily, of course, as she broke the kiss to breathe and reprimand him, "What do you think you're doing?" Sesshoumaru didn't reply to her simple question, instead opting to repeat himself, except he held her wrists firmly this time, so she could not easily escape from his curiosity. The priestess didn't gasp, keeping her mouth shut in dignified defiance instead. The feeling of his lips trying to coax hers to life was hard to fight – the priestess was a virgin, of course, but she could not help but enjoy the strange but delightful feeling of his soft lips brushing against hers. Unlike the previous time, the kiss was more of a soft, but passionate liplock instead of heavy exploring, and she was (shamefully) putty underneath his touch.

"I did not expect a human to be so smooth." He breathed against her ear huskily, taken aback by the wondrous feeling of her skin and lips. His hand meandered back down to the opening of the bellflower-adorned kimono, bumping against her collarbone. She pushed his hand back, completely flustered at Sesshoumaru's strange behavior.

"You… This isn't you."

"I must agree with you. It isn't like me to assault a mere human woman." Sesshoumaru complied, throwing her an irritated look; his words making Kikyou sadden, "But you aren't just a mere human woman. So I would say you're half-right." For some reason, this lighted the priestess's somber expression, but still the irritated look on his face persisted on his handsome features. "Why do you run from me, Kikyou?"

"Run from you?"

"Yes. You deny this Sesshoumaru?" He fixed his auburn eyes on her. The arrogant way in which he addressed himself rubbed Kikyou the wrong way as she turned away from him; aggravated by his superciliousness.

_Of course, Kikyou, what did you expect from him? _Kikyou chided herself, annoyed that even for a minute she could allow herself to believe he could feel anything for her, a lowly human being. He sat too high on his throne to ever even consider sparing feelings for a woman. His touches were probably only a whim – a whim to assure himself of his superiority. "I am a priestess." Was her curt, but self-explanatory response. Still, she refused to turn to look at him in the darkness.

"Forget about the jewel. Let that demon have it." Sesshoumaru began, catching the priestess's attention, "Then you'd be free."

"My duty is to protect the jewel. To keep it out of the wrong hands. To remain pure of mind and body so that I may purify it."

"You're selfless to a fault. You want to be a normal woman, then so be it." He asserted, pushing her further into the bark of the tree, messing with the sash that held her kimono together. "Then you could wear as many different kimonos as you'd like." He breathed into her ear, with what Kikyou suspected was a shade of seduction laced into his deep voice, but she dismissed it as wishful thinking as he still carried the same, deadpan look about him.

"What would be the point? My freedom would be at the cost of many innocent lives. My fate is with the jewel."

"You don't owe those people anything. One creates their own fate." Sesshoumaru insisted, "You should act upon your desires. And everyone else be damned."

"My desires?" She whispered into the chilly breeze, her eyes settling upon his handsome visage, her heart beat ascending into a frenzy at what she concluded was her true desire. She closed her eyes remorsefully, "My desires cannot come true."

"I shall find this Naraku character," Sesshoumaru pulled back, allowing her back some space, "And I shall kill him for you. I'll get that cursed jewel you so worry about, and give it to another priestess to protect. Then you will be free to choose your path."

"In order to defeat that demon you need your demon powers as well. You are just a regular human. A fit one, but still you lack the power to destroy a demon such as this Naraku on your own." Kikyou admonished, "However, we shall find this demon, _together._ My spiritual powers shall be a formidable ally. However, I must ask, Sesshoumaru, why are you so concerned over my freedom? You, after all, thought my wish to be a normal woman ludicrous."

"I tire of seeing you in the same attire." He replied simply, at a loss to make a mordant remark. He could not admit to her what his true reason was, as he had a hard time admitting it even to himself. She was a smart woman; couldn't she tell what his intentions were? Her gentle smile made the previous longing for her return – that strange yearning that was not only just physical, but dare he admit it, emotional. Something about the woman's seldom, but melancholy smiles tugged at his carefully protected bastion of a heart. A heart he had not known could make him long for anything except power. Had the woman's noble virtue caused a change in him?

As for Kikyou, she was glad that the man was just a human, for she knew he would have heard her wildly thumping heart threatening to jump out of her chest as she continued to gaze upon his flawless countenance.

_I must be a fool, to yearn for the love of a demon. Yes, I've fallen… I can deny it no longer._

The unlikely pair continued on with their gazes locked; speechless in the whirlwind of palpable tension their feelings had created. Sesshoumaru acted first, breaking the barrier of awkwardness as he could not control the swarming range of human emotions any longer, his hands snaking around her waist as his chin rested against her forehead; their sleek black tresses entangling into each other in ways they could not do so themselves.

Meanwhile, a pair of blaring sanguine pupil-less irises glowered at the sentimental scene presented to him from Tsubaki's all-seeing mirror. Naraku slapped the mirror away from his sight, inwardly and outwardly fuming in rabid jealousy. "How dare that filthy dog touch MY Kikyou?!"

"Well, _Onigumo_, she isn't yours yet. Maybe you should get to that instead of wasting time?" Tsubaki jeered haughtily, setting her mirror down and glancing down at her nails in boredom. "You've got all these people fooled into thinking you are their lord. You've surrounded yourself with riches and power," At this she pointed towards the violet-tainted jewel in Naraku's large hand, "Let's get a move on and ruin Kikyou."

"Yes. You've got a point. Now is the time to act. I won't allow that arrogant bastard to lay a hand on you anymore, Kikyou. The man who shall corrupt you with his caresses shall be me!" He cackled maliciously, excited at the thought. Now, more than ever, Tsubaki noticed, was Onigumo's heart showing the most in the body assembled by demons.

**XXX**

**C. Mushroom's Rants: **So, well, this was a very difficult chapter to approach. This was a chapter laden with romance – or should I say blatant sexual tension? Ah well, I hope it was to your liking. It's getting to that point in that story where both Kikyou and Sesshoumaru will act a bit… "out of character". And I cringe as I type that, but it's inevitable in a SessKik fic labeled as "Romance/Fantasy". But no worries, I shall type them as in character as possible. :D

Thank you, awesome readers, for all of your feedback. Y'all make this author very happy! And very inspired. Hehe, so yes, it's sad, but I think I may be addicted to reviews and stuff. I write faster when I get feedback of some sort.


	28. Naraku's Poison

**XXX**

**_Chapter 28: Naraku's Poison  
_**

**_XXX_**

Kaede was brimming with curiosity. She wanted to know what had transpired between her sister and Sesshoumaru the night before. She had heard the rich, low tone of Sesshoumaru's voice outside, rumbling through the thin walls of her meager home. Unfortunately for Kaede's curiosity, their voices were muffled by the wind that carried their conversation elsewhere, thus she could not distinguish their words. She could just barely make out the low hums of when they spoke and the extended silences that accompanied them. Although she itched to know every minute detail, Kaede bit her tongue when Kikyou finally awoke the following morning.

"Oh, Kaede, you're up early..." Kikyou dazedly uttered out as she continually blinked her eyes in the light of the morning.

"Actually sister, it's later than usual. You slept in." Kaede corrected, smiling knowingly. Kikyou shot up from her recumbent position on the futon, her long tendrils of black silk in disarray. She was dressed in a simple white robe that doubled up in purpose as sleeping attire and as a cleansing robe.

"Kaede, why didn't you wake me up?" Kikyou questioned as she hastily draped on her drab priestess garb and tied her hair back.

"Well, you were up late last night."

"Were you eavesdropping, Kaede?" Kikyou eyed her younger sister suspiciously.

"No, I just heard you when you entered the hut." Kaede whispered guiltily. At her sister's stern look, the little girl fessed up, "I didn't hear anything, I swear! I just saw you when you went outside and then came back later in Sesshoumaru's kimono." Kikyou pouted but said no more, accepting the child's slapdash explanation at her accusation for the moment. Kaede gulped internally, a little disheveled at the disapproving look on the elder woman's face.

"Has anybody asked for me?" Kikyou changed the subject, not wanting to let on any clues to her sister as to what she had come to realize the night before. She feared for the example she would set for her naïve little sister. Kaede just shook her head in the negative. "I'm running behind schedule. I'll be back later, Kaede. Do you wish to accompany me?"

"Of course!" Kaede shook her head vigorously in agreement. To her, it meant that Kikyou did not hold any rancor for her innocent prying. The two sisters stepped out of their home, starting a new day of helping out the recovering villagers from the bloody rampage Inuyasha had caused. Ever since the day of Inuyasha's crime, Kikyou had not spoken about him at all. She would often visit his sleeping self and contemplate in sadness over the whole ordeal, but she hadn't mentioned the half-demon to anybody, probably wanting to hide the fact that his betrayal had affected her for the worse – she could not deny to herself the sorrowful pangs of hurt she felt when she thought about the crude golden-eyed boy and his unexpected betrayal. She especially avoided manifesting any signs of her thoughts on Inuyasha in front of Sesshoumaru, whom she knew would erupt in scorn if she dared even utter an allusion referring to his half-brother. Despite his prejudice, which Kikyou could never bring herself to agree with him on, Sesshoumaru did provide an ironic soothing effect that helped quell her lingering melancholy. She supposed it was because of her newly identified "feelings" for the arrogant man. She sighed.

"Sighing, Lady Kikyou?" A feminine voice cut through Kikyou's muddled thoughts. "It can't be that you are in love!" Much to Kaede's displeasure and Kikyou's indifference, Tsubaki appeared from within one of the village shacks. "Ah, but of course, forgive me, that is a joke in bad taste, isn't it?" Tsubaki asked cynically.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again." Kikyou spoke composedly, eyeing the dark priestess in scrutiny. "I doubt you've made the journey here for no reason."

"Ah, but you know me so well. I heard that you let the Shikon Jewel be taken." Tsubaki tsked the younger priestess scornfully, "And that the poor villagers had suffered for it."

"The jewel was stolen not just taken!" Kaede asserted brashly, defending her sister's integrity like any admiring little sister was apt to do.

"Quiet the brat down, Kikyou. She forgets her place."

"Kaede can speak whatever she wants." Kikyou rejected Tsubaki's scold, "And the one whom forgets her place is you, Tsubaki."

"My place? I'm not the one who lost the Shikon Jewel." Tsubaki admonished, frowning un-prettily. "Letting these poor people fall victim to Inuyasha because you're dilly dallying with some man. Or should I say men? Rumors said you were pretty close knit with that half-breed too."

"Enough, Tsubaki." Kikyou rebuked the other woman forcefully, her lips set into a stern line. "I will not allow you to offend me further."

"Oh?"

"Lady Priestess! Our son is coughing blood, please come back and help us!" A disarrayed woman stepped from the same hut Tsubaki had came out of, tears spilling over her confused face. Not completely trusting Tsubaki, Kikyou pushed past the darkly clothed woman, entering the hut to be met with a sickly boy laying in the middle of the hut, hacking up blood, as was pointed out by the desperate mother.

"Consumption? No, this doesn't look it." Kikyou murmured to herself with Kaede by her side. The priestess approached the child, sitting down to get a better look at the troubled boy, placing her hand against the child's warm forehead.

"Oh, Lady Kikyou, is he going to get better?" A worried father asked from his spot in one of the corners of the hut, comforting his crying wife. Kikyou was about to answer, but was cut off by Tsubaki's sinister snicker. At that moment, the child grappled onto Kikyou's fleeting arm.

"Get out!" Kikyou inhaled sharply, but at her command, nobody budged, "Leave now! This boy is possessed by a demon!" Kikyou clarified, the parents finally obeyed, but Kaede stubbornly stayed by her sister's side, while Tsubaki continued with her dark chuckles. The boy's eyes opened to reveal slit-like pupils and the hand that had latched onto Kikyou's arm was a tentacle. Kaede let out a ear-piercing scream in horror at the boy's demonic transformation. Using her free hand, Kikyou pushed her younger sister as far away from her as she could. "To use a child to lure me into a trap... You've sunken low, Tsubaki!" Kikyou struggled underneath the demon's vice-like grasp, but to no avail.

"Careful, Kikyou. If you use your purification powers, you'll kill the poor boy." Tsubaki feigned pity emptily. "He still has a chance. If you die first, that is."

"Let her go!" Kaede lunged at the ruby-lipped woman, but her attempt was in vain, for the demon unleashed another hidden tentacle to grab a hold of her ankle. The girl let out another blood-curdling scream.

"Kaede!"

"Ha, how easy this is! I'll -" But Tsubaki could not finish, for at that moment, Sesshoumaru came hurtling through the entrance of the shack, breaking the dark miko's concentration. One look at the scene, and the former demon sprung into action, unsheathing a sword from the obi that held his outfit and armor together. He slashed at the snake-like tentacle that clutched at the ten-year-old's foot with the regular, nameless blade. The demon retracted its limb, releasing Kaede, but continued its assault by grabbing a hold of Kikyou's foot. Sesshoumaru glared at the new complication, but said nothing as he advanced towards the struggling shrine maiden, ready to slash at the child snake-limbed thing. Although inwardly he knew that the demon was vermin and that Kikyou could easily dispose of it with a blast of her spiritual energy. Why had she not made use of her sacred powers yet?

Sesshoumaru succeeded in cutting off the tentacles that grasped at Kikyou, but the amputated tentacles only became devilish snakes. One slithered towards the priestess and the other hurled itself at Sesshoumaru. Despite his status as a human, the former demon still had sharp reflexes and managed to block himself with his sword, but Kikyou had no such luck as the demon snake constricted around her lithe body. At this point, Sesshoumaru was starting to get annoyed with the girl's uncharacteristic helplessness.

"What's the matter? Can't purify these demons? Oh, that's right. You can't because I've made it so!" Tsubaki snickered meanly, "Don't you wish your lover still had his demonic powers?" At this Sesshoumaru growled, his temper flaring at the mocking words of the dark priestess and he changed his attention from the snake beasts to the cackling woman at the entrance. The man aimed at her with his sword, but she parried his blow with her spear. Although a high-status priestess, Tsubaki was still no match for a physically able man, as she was pushed back. A cry interrupted his assault, however. It was Kikyou's shrill gasp for air as the snake squeezed her. "Die, Kikyou!" Tsubaki screeched in sheer hatred, but the look of elation she wore was quickly wiped off by an intervention from a third party.

"My dear Tsubaki, did I not instruct you to bring her back, _alive_?" A malicious, deep voice bellowed. It was Naraku, dressed in his white baboon pelt, who cut through the snake that crushed Kikyou with one of his own tentacles. Kikyou wasted no time in shimmying an arrow onto her bow, aiming it at the mystery man who hid underneath the snowy pelt. "It seems you had other intentions, though."

"Kikyou needs not be alive anymore. Pathetic as she is now, I cannot forgive her what she did to my face." Tsubaki confirmed her intentions, "I have no further use for you now, Naraku. The demon, or rather human, is no longer a threat and I can dispose of this wretch with ease. And I will be top priestess again, the jewel under my protection!"

"You must truly be a fool if you think that you can protect the jewel." Kikyou reprimanded, holding her arrow steady, contemplating whether she should aim at Tsubaki instead. Tsubaki merely answered with a scowl.

"But she is right! Did you think that with your tainted soul you would be able to perform the same job Kikyou could? Pathetic." Naraku mocked the glowering dark priestess, "But enough. The one who is of no further use is you, Tsubaki." Before the woman could react, Naraku shot the limb that had previously been used to free Kikyou at Tsubaki, piercing the corrupted woman's torso and sending her reeling back out of the hut, presumably falling in the process.

"Why do you hide yourself, coward?" Sesshoumaru finally bothered himself to speak, launching himself at the disguised man, easily slicing the pelt to reveal a tall, lean man with devilish red-hued eyes and thick, wavy midnight hair dressed in navy blue, purple, and black. Kikyou released the arrow, but to her, Sesshoumaru's, and Kaede's surprise, the usual bright lavender flash that accompanied the weapon was absent. Instead, the arrow dug into the flesh of Naraku's chest, like a normal arrow would. The imposing demon smirked as he carelessly tugged the weapon from within his flesh.

"B-But how?! Kikyou's sacred arrows never fail!" Kaede exclaimed.

"Have you forgotten the jewel is in my hands? Your powers are useless against me as long as I will them to be!" Naraku explained calmly as he approached the stunned woman. "And regular arrows won't cause a demon any harm, but I'm sure you knew that, Kikyou."

"Who are you and what is your purpose? You already have the jewel." Kikyou questioned, taking a step back at the dark demon's advance.

"Well isn't it obvious? I've come for you." At such a declaration, Sesshoumaru blocked the demon's path, standing in front of Kikyou defensively, like a knight protecting his lady. "I've heard stories about you, the dog demon lord of the West. You've gone soft, though. This is definitely not the heartless demon prince I was told about."

"Vermin, you shall die a painful death at the hands of my reputed merciless claws." Sesshoumaru rebutted, stretching out his still very human hands as if they were his poison claws.

"Highly unlikely." Naraku dismissed as he took sure, even steps towards the duo, easily sidestepping a sword slash from Sesshoumaru and blasting him out of the way. "Your father died saving a human woman, I've heard. Heh. Like father like son, wouldn't you say?" Naraku was about to send another brutal attack Sesshoumaru's way, but another arrow from Kikyou distracted him momentarily. "Ah, that's right. I've neglected you."

"Don't come near me! One step closer and I'll..." Kikyou stopped herself, realizing the futility of her regular human arrows against a powerful demon. The demon, Naraku, once again struck out at Sesshoumaru, but with an agility nobody knew she had, Kikyou lunged into the path of the attack, using her spiritually empowered bow to deflect the stray tentacle. Naraku's eyes widened at Kikyou's ability to conjure up her sacred powers.

_Impossible! How could she do that if the jewel... Nevermind that, I must act quickly, _Naraku finalized as he pounced on the priestess unexpectedly, roughly encircling his arms around her dainty body, all the while Sesshoumaru began to run towards the violently struggling woman. "It is too bad I could not kill you with my own hands, Sesshoumaru, but perhaps my miasma will." And with that said, the demon disappeared from view as he released dark violet smoke into the surrounding air. Kaede and Sesshoumaru began to cough violently as the smoke invaded their lungs.

_This is poison! _Sesshoumaru quickly surmised, covering his mouth and nose from the deadly vapors. Remembering that Kikyou's kid sister was still in the vicinity, he spoke out, "Cover your mouth! This is poison." He warned, his voice muffled by the cloth of his sleeve, but Kaede understood his command, as she shuffled around blindly trying to exit the shack. Hearing the child's scuffling about, he followed suit, managing to find his way out.

"Kikyou!" Kaede cried, attempting to head back in, but Sesshoumaru shot a hand out and caught hold of the back of the girl's kimono.

"Girl. If you go back in there, you'll die. Your sister's attempts to keep you alive would then be in vain, wouldn't they?" Sesshoumaru reprimanded, glaring irately at the crying girl.

"But then that demon will take my sister!" Kaede managed to complain between heavy sobs.

"He is already gone. He wanted Kikyou alive." A strained voice answered Kaede's cry. It was Tsubaki, who was pitifully clutching onto the bleeding wound on her chest, straining to hold onto life.

"Woman, where has he taken her?" Sesshoumaru directed his attention to the panting woman.

"His castle, I p-presume."

"Which is where?" Sesshoumaru's voice was even, but his tone screeched authority.

"I don't know." She sneered, angering the raven-haired man in front of her enough for him to bend down and pick her off the ground by the collar of her navy blue priestess garb. He did not need to voice his threat; the slight upturn of his eyebrows and the deep scowl on his features was all the threat needed to get Tsubaki to talk, "I meant... I don't know where it is, exactly."

"Then how did you get there!?" Kaede demanded.

"You were in league with this Naraku character. You lie." Sesshoumaru pushed her against the wall of the hut, furthering her pain.

"He cast a spell on the castle... So outsiders could not see it, including me. I met up with him in an abandoned shrine, not his castle." At this new information, Sesshoumaru let the dying woman slump to the floor carelessly, aggravated by her ignorance. "Kid, come here." Tsubaki called out weakly to Kaede. Cautiously, the little girl approached the moribund woman, whose dim blue eyes focused wearily on the child. "Take this. It's a charm. With it, you should be able to see Naraku's castle if you come across it. Only miko can use it... And also those with a pure heart."

"Tsubaki, you couldn't use this could you?" Kaede asked the dark priestess, with something akin to pity reflecting in her big, childish eyes.

"No." The woman smirked, "My heart has been corrupted with feelings of envy and hatred. How ironic." She gave a weak, sarcastic laugh. "There is... one thing I don't understand... that curse should have killed her by now. If she were to fall for a man, she would die."

"But I am not a mere man. I am a demon, fool." Sesshoumaru scoffed cruelly.

"Perhaps... Good luck, demon... Kill Naraku. He's a clever bastard. That Onigumo." She gave one final smirk, before her dark blue eyes dimmed. Kaede gasped at the last name that the woman had uttered. Had her ears heard right or had the woman uttered the demised bandit's name? Sesshoumaru turned away from the pitiful sight, preparing to leap out of sight, but Kaede's voice hindered him.

"Wait, Sesshoumaru!" The child called out, rubbing the tears from her eyes, but she wasn't allowed to finish as the parents of the possessed boy interrupted her.

"Kaede, where is our boy? Where is our child?" The father demanded, holding his tearful wife. "Lady Kikyou saved him, right?!" The man turned to face the hut, seeming to want to enter.

"No, don't go in there! There's poison inside." Kaede warned, sadness strewn across her childish features, "Your son... was possessed by a demon. And Kikyou tried her best, but..."

"She couldn't save him!? It's her job to protect us from harm and she failed! How could she?! You tell her to come out this instant and I'll give her a piece of my -" The woman ranted out hysterically, peeling herself from her husband's arms to berate Kaede, but she was interrupted by a vexed Sesshoumaru.

"Woman, you grate on my nerves. Your priestess, Kikyou, endangered her life to protect your pitiful son."

"That's right! And now she's been kidnapped because she was avoiding hurting him at all costs. So don't you dare speak badly of her!" Kaede finished Sesshoumaru's statement angrily, "I'm really sorry for what happened to your son, but don't blame Kikyou for it!" A crowd had formed around the incident, and Sesshoumaru impatiently turned on his heel and walked away from the gawking villagers, Kaede following close behind. Jaken joined them once far enough away from the humans.

"Sessho-" Kaede began, but seeing Jaken's strongly disapproving glare, corrected herself, "Ahem, _Lord_ Sesshoumaru, that last name Tsubaki said, Onigumo, we knew him." At this information, Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to face the little girl. They were in the outskirts of the village, near the shrine where the Jewel of Four Souls once laid.

"Well, go on." Jaken spoke for his lord.

"Onigumo was the bandit my sister used to take care of. The one that couldn't move." Kaede began, "But it doesn't make any sense because I'm pretty sure he died when the cave he laid in burned down. Actually, Kikyou said a demon devoured him, since there was a lot of demonic energy in that same cave."

"If he's dead, then what's the point of this?" Jaken considered, crossing his stubby little arms over his chest.

"Then Kikyou's kidnapping would make sense. More than anything, Onigumo wanted my sister." Kaede grimaced at the memory, "He would say disgusting things about her all the time. B-but he's dead, so maybe I heard wrong..."

"Strong demonic energy concentrated where a human used to lay? I've heard about something like that before..." A new voice entered the arena. Myoga popped out from some foliage, jumping up to perch on Kaede's shoulder. "In my younger days, when I was out traveling with your father, Lord Sesshoumaru, I encountered stories of demons who would fuse with weak humans."

"So then you're saying that could be the case with this Onigumo person?" Sesshoumaru asked the little demon.

"It's entirely possible. I don't know the specifics, but the demons anchor onto the soul of a human to make a stronger being." Myoga explained reasonably, "Lord Sesshoumaru, you must find Lady Kikyou and ask her to release Inuyasha from the seal!"

"And why should I do that? Inuyasha deserved that and more." Sesshoumaru glared at the flea demon's request in indignation.

"Because Lady Kikyou gave Lord Inuyasha the Shikon Jewel so that he could kill you!" Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at Myoga's statement, completely bewildered. Both Jaken and Kaede gasped in unison. "She was badly injured and said you had caused her doom, my Lord. I am terribly confused of your presence here, but we must ask Lady Kikyou to let Inuyasha go."

"That's right, the morning of Inuyasha's rampage, my sister was badly injured. But I just thought I was going crazy since she seemed to be fine after that. I thought it was Sesshoumaru's blood on her clothes, not hers." Kaede added.

"The morning of the rampage? That's not possible." Sesshoumaru rejected Myoga's and Kaede's comments, his eyes narrowing in realization. "We were still in the other village. Naraku... he must have shape-shifted and taken Kikyou's form to appear to Inuyasha. Only Inuyasha could fall for such a petty trick."

"Inuyasha cared very much for Lady Kikyou. He would have done anything she requested." Myoga corrected. Sesshoumaru gave Myoga a dirty look for his words, but said nothing.

"The tricks he's played on both you, Master Sesshoumaru, and Inuyasha... It seems to me this fellow is terribly jealous of those close to the priestess." Jaken reasoned further.

"Then Kikyou is... We need to find her!" Kaede cried. "Onigumo was a bad man."

"We are going, Jaken." Sesshoumaru commanded, heading out into the forest.

"Wait!" Kaede called out, "You're going to save Kikyou, right? I'm going with you!"

"I'm going to carry out my revenge on that would only be a burden. I need you not." Sesshoumaru enforced, continuing with his fast-paced gait.

"I have Tsubaki's charm. I'm the only one who can use it! You'll need me." Kaede stubbornly insisted, placing her small hands at her hips. "You need me to find the castle!"

"Hmmph. Don't slow me down." Sesshoumaru accepted albeit in his usual gruff manner. Kaede sighed in relief before telling the human dog demon she needed to grab some things quickly before leaving.

_Lord Sesshoumaru, saving a human woman? How very odd indeed. Oh, if only Master was still alive, he'd be so happy for his son's new found compassion... _Myoga thought.

**XXX**

"Ah, finally up." Naraku rumbled when Kikyou's eyelids fluttered open. The woman blinked a few more times, trying to piece together her current situation. It didn't take long for it to hit her with full force. "I was afraid the dose of miasma you breathed in would kill you."

Kikyou remained silent, saving her questions until after she studied her surroundings. She was laying in a comfortable futon in the middle of what she assumed was a room of a castle, considering its rich décor. She eyed the Shoji door, thinking of escape, but decided against it when she glanced back at the man sitting beside her.

"What do you want from me?" Kikyou finally voiced her only question, her ochre eyes staring impassively into Naraku's crimson orbs.

"What do I want from you? For now, I want your obedience." He spoke lowly, his steady gaze on her face unfaltering. "And if you even so much as try to disobey, or escape, the residents of this castle will pay."

"Residents?" Kikyou murmured, thinking that a demon would make home in an abandoned mansion, not a populated one.

"That's right. These humans think me their lord." Naraku scoffed mockingly, "And I hardly think you'd want these defenseless humans to die because of you." Kikyou didn't need to express her disdain; he could see it written all over her icy glare. "Many have already passed away because of your carelessness, Kikyou. Learn from your mistakes."

"They died because you ordered demons to kill them." Kikyou practically spat.

"I won't deny that. But Inuyasha killed a few because of you." He pointed out sadistically.

"I am not at fault for Inuyasha's blood thirst." She retaliated, her voice eerily even despite the obvious aversion she held for the red-eyed monster.

"But you are. Poor Inuyasha was quite taken with you, Kikyou. But he saw your preference for his full-blooded elder brother. That pitiful half-breed just wanted to compete against his brother for your affection." Naraku malevolently overturned her claim to innocence. "You were at fault, Kikyou. For leading on the pathetic boy. You used him to fill the void the older brother left when he was absent."

"How did you know that?" Kikyou finally manifested an emotion – she was aghast at his declaration and sat up; not only because he had possibly stalked her, but also because he dared make such an accusation against her. But was it true? Had she used Inuyasha to fill Sesshoumaru's place in her life? Those questions burned in her mind as she bit her bottom lip in distress.

"It's easy to know with Tsubaki's spells." Was his answer. The tall demon stood up to his full height, "Two servants will be coming in to dress you in more suitable attire. Remember, if you disobey, they shall pay." He stated darkly as he exited through the shoji doors, leaving Kikyou to contemplate the recent events in worry.

**XXX**

**Author's Rambles: **And so Naraku strikes. OH NOES. So, updates won't be every week, but I will not discontinue this, no worries. I forgot to mention that last chapter's Sesshoumaru-gives-Kikyou-kimono idea came from him when Sesshoumaru actually gives Rin kimonos as presents from the actual story. So I'm done with my ramble. See y'all next chapter.

P.S. THANK YOU SO MUCH REVIEWERS. And all readers. THANK YOU.


	29. Ray of Hope

"_Hey, Kikyou, would you like to come and play with us?" A little boy called out to the lone child walking past them with a short bow in her hand._

"_Stupid! She's _Lady_ Kikyou! Sorry for his disrespect!" A little girl beside the boy bowed apologetically, "But would you like to join us?"_

"_She cannot join you, children. Kikyou has much training to do if she one day hopes to be a great priestess. She needs to be strong if she is going to protect you one day." An old priest behind an eight-year-old Kikyou rejected their invitation. The raven-haired child only bowed her head sadly._

"_I am sorry." Kikyou timidly spoke, glancing down at her sandals, before the priest walked on ahead of her and she followed behind. The group of kids merely shrugged their shoulders before continuing with their games._

"_Kikyou, you shan't be so soft-spoken. If people are to take you seriously, you need to be confident. Not boastful, of course, but you must appear to be strong." The old man scolded the child, "And don't you look sad, child. I know you want to play, but there is no time for that. You show extraordinary potential, little one."_

"_Yes, master. I understand." Kikyou agreed, tilting her face up to meet her master's eyes, just as she was told to do, her short chin-length hair swishing at the movement. _

"_You are going to be a great and powerful priestess one day, Kikyou. I can already tell. But such a title comes with a sacrifice." The old man smiled assuringly, to which Kikyou forced a smile of her own in response. "Your parents would be proud."_

"So young woman, are you the lord's new concubine?" A woman's voice snapped Kikyou out of her somber memories. The voice belonged to the same woman who was currently brushing Kikyou's hair.

"No." Was Kikyou's sole response. _Great and powerful priestess? What would master think of me now? Harboring feelings for a demon and letting myself get abducted by this despicable man? _

"Then you're to be his wife then?" Another woman, who was applying a subtle pink to Kikyou's porcelain cheeks, asked curiously. Kikyou's only reply was to downcast her vision to the floor. "An unwilling one it seems." The middle-aged woman commented sympathetically.

"Who wouldn't want to be wife to the young lord? He's so handsome and rich!" The first woman, a girl of about twenty, spoke.

"Sheesh, Izumi, be more considerate. Perhaps she is in love with another man, the poor thing." Kikyou's eyes met the portly woman's then. "So it is."

"What is to happen to me?" Kikyou finally bothered to ask, regaining her will to speak.

"We don't know, girl. But usually when the young lord asks us to dress women up it's because they are to be a concubine." At this new information from the homely middle-aged woman, Kikyou tensed in disgust and fought the urge to gag – the thought of being mistress to the depraved miscreant repulsed her. "Oh, don't look so sad, young one. We can't know for sure. The lord has been unpredictable lately."

"Lately?" Kikyou asked.

"Yes, he used to take concubines far more often, but lately, he's been kind of antisocial. To everybody." The younger woman, Izumi, added. "But if he has asked us to make you look good, I wouldn't have high hopes, girl. You're either to be his mistress or his wife."

"To make her look good? This child came in looking good. Our job was to make her absolutely stunning." To such praise, Kikyou would usually offer a pretty smile, but in her anxiety, she could not muster up anything but a despondent frown. "You poor thing, you must really care for this other man..."

_'I need to escape. There must be some way... I need to get my spiritual powers back somehow, so I can obliterate this Naraku before he can punish these innocent people. Think!'_ Kikyou thought. 

"That is enough." A deep, male voice cut their conversation short.

"Oh, m'lord, we haven't finished dressing her hair yet." The younger female bowed in respect, the older following suit at the presence of their taciturn lord.

"That is fine. You are dismissed." Naraku ordered, and when the two women hesitated slightly, Naraku asserted impatiently, "Leave now." At their master's steely command, the two females scuffled out of the room, leaving Kikyou to glare daggers at the statuesque false lord.

**XXX**

"Jaken..." Kaede whispered from atop Sesshoumaru's loyal dragon. The child had hopped onto the beast after Sesshoumaru had reprimanded her for being too troublesome on her feet. Twice they had been attacked – once by a human-hungry demon, and second by a greedy duo of bandits. Both times, Kaede had almost been caught, which prompted Sesshoumaru to crossly order her to ride atop the dragon, out of harm's way.

"What is it?" Jaken replied to her soft call.

"Sesshoumaru doesn't have his demonic powers anymore. How does he plan to defeat the demon who kidnapped my sister?" Kaede questioned, sincerely curious as to how Sesshoumaru planned to go head-to-head with a demon who could subdue her powerful elder sister.

"Are you questioning my lord's power?!" Jaken squawked loudly at Kaede's impudent query, causing such a ruckus that even Sesshoumaru turned to glare at the pair behind him in irritation. "Oh, Lord Sesshoumaru, don't heed us! Continue on your way!" Jaken panicked at the young man's scathing gaze.

"You have a strategy, right?" Kaede asked directly, knowing Jaken was not going to give her a satisfying answer.

"Why you! Insolent child, what disrespect!" Jaken crowed savagely, waving his staff around in threat; playing innocent.

"A human child doubts my own power." Sesshoumaru spoke to himself, apparently, since his vision was not focused on any of his companions.

"I don't mean to offend, lord Sesshoumaru," Kaede forced herself to attach the honorific, knowing it was a wise decision to try and stay on his good side, "And I'm sure that in your demon form you're a force to be reckoned with, but as a human... You don't have your usual power." Kaede trailed off, seeing his increased annoyance as she continued.

_'I hate to admit it, but in this body, I am weak. To have to rely on a common mutt to follow Kikyou's scent...'_

"Well, in that way she's right. You _are_ a useless human now..." Jaken let his thoughts spill into the tense air, immediately receiving a great thwack to the head by his "useless human" master. "Why me?! You said it too!" Jaken cried pathetically.

"I was a lot more sensitive, little demon." Kaede stared after the little imp's crying form, passing him as the dragon continued trotting after Sesshoumaru, who was lead by Kaede's pet dog, the akita inu, Taro. Kaede sighed, guessing that she would just have to wait and see what Sesshoumaru's plan was, if he had any.

_'Has Lord Sesshoumaru lost his mind? Surely he sees how ludicrous it is to face a demon that even the miko can not handle...' _Jaken thought, getting over the newly-acquired bruise to scramble back to his position behind Sesshoumaru. '_Is it because he's human that he's being irrational? Humans are stupid, after all... Or is it his attachment to Kikyou that's rendered him... insane?'_ Jaken felt himself tremble when he noticed Sesshoumaru's intent glare on him. "I wasn't thinking anything!" Jaken yelped in fear, but Sesshoumaru continued on his way, focusing his glare on the path ahead instead.

"Jaken, you said 'insane' out loud. You were thinking something." Kaede informed the little toad, earning her a worried glare from said toad.

"Girl." Sesshoumaru called out in his usual curt manner, "Do you see anything?"

"It's Kaede." The girl first enforced her will to be called by her name, "But no, I don't see anything but forest all around." She softened her voice in accordance with her powerlessness to find Kikyou's whereabouts. "If only Kikyou were here..."

"But she's not." Sesshoumaru interrupted, "And if she was, we wouldn't be in this predicament." He dismissed her vapid comment with his reason. '_If I hadn't let my guard down, then Kikyou would still be here.'_

Kaede felt tears start to well up at the corners of her eyes – frustrated by her inability to be more useful. "Crying won't bring your sister back." She heard Jaken's voice admonish her; the little demon was staring up at her with stern eyes. "Surely Kikyou has taught you better than that." Kaede wiped away the tears, knowing Jaken had a point, for once.

"Sorry, you're right." Kaede agreed resolutely.

"So just be quiet and let Lord Sesshoumaru handle it!" Sesshoumaru said nothing to add to Jaken's assurance; letting the smaller demon deal with Kaede's emotional outbursts as it was not in his nature to calm down people, especially not children.

Still, the girl's words had rattled him. What was his strategy? When the castle was found, what would he do? March right in there and battle Naraku in hand-to-hand combat? No, that was stupid, he knew better than that. But how to go about defeating that demon-scum that underneath any other circumstances would be an easy kill? How to retrieve Kikyou from his filthy grasp? The only logical way to go about it was to steal the jewel first and regain his demonic powers, then all of those questions would be easily resolved, but Naraku was sure to thwart any attempt made on the jewel. He grit his teeth in consternation. He would just have to find the castle first, and then go from there.

He was only sure of one thing – he had to get Kikyou away from Naraku. He could only hope the priestess had already outsmarted him.

**XXX**

"M' lord, the lady refuses to eat. What shall we do?" A servant approached Naraku.

"Stubborn woman." Naraku muttered lowly underneath his breath, "I shall handle it." He stood up from his crossed-legged position from his "throne". It had been three days since he had abducted Kikyou and yet he had not laid a single hand on her. Had Tsubaki still been alive, she would have commented on that. It is not that he didn't want to – for surely, he wanted to unravel the sash at her waist to reveal her womanly curves every time he saw her, but first he wanted to wipe off that arrogant look on her face; he wanted to break her spirit so that when he took her, she would be struggling to hold onto the last shreds of her pride.

"Kikyou." Naraku called out as he entered the room where Kikyou was stowed away in. She sat in the middle of the room – her face positioned downward so her bangs would cast shadows over her eyes. She wore an elegant kimono that Naraku had supplied her with; a sakura-crested beautiful silk cloth that any woman would be more than happy to don, but Kikyou had a deep scowl on her face – a face steeped in vitriol. If not for the disdain written all over her countenance, she would have looked like a doll. A doll with sorrowful eyes. "You do not eat. Do you hope to die before I have my way with you?" Kikyou refused to acknowledge his presence. "Trust me, dearest Kikyou, I shall do what I wish before you can even hope to die." Still, the woman retained from answering; acting as if he was not there. Her insistence on ignoring him angered him to no end, as he stomped his way towards her, ruthlessly clasping her by the neck and picking her off the ground so that she dangled in the air precariously. It was then that she turned her scathing gaze to him.

"I will not be your mistress, if that's what you plan for me." Kikyou finally spoke bitterly. Naraku sneered cruelly, still not relinquishing his grasp around her fragile neck.

"Now where did you get such an idea from?"

"The servants said..." Kikyou struggled to speak.

"I haven't spoken of my plans with any of them." Naraku replied, "But what a great thought. Just imagining you corrupted by my evil gives me _shivers of pleasure." _Naraku cackled at his twisted comment and the look of utter revulsion on her face. In a show of reckless courage, the woman released a glob of spit right to his face. Naraku threw her down on the floor in anger.

_'Why does that sound so familiar?'_ Kikyou thought as she threw her abductor a death glare from where she landed on the ground. If only looks could kill, Naraku would be dead a dozen times over.

"Did I not make myself clear when I said that any offense on your part would lead to dire consequences?" Naraku practically hissed at Kikyou, wiping the spit off his face lividly.

"Only if I disobeyed. You gave no order." Kikyou taunted, standing up to her full height in order to show her defiance; her unwillingness to submit to his will apparent in her audacious stance and steely glare. Naraku roughly ensnared the lithe woman in his grasp and pulled her down to the ground with him, slamming her against the floor mercilessly. His long fingers curled around her shoulders, keeping her glued to the ground, glaring at her with fuming red eyes.

"_Kikyou, I don't like that man!" _Kikyou recalled Kaede's words when she had once come back from tending Onigumo. _"He wants the Shikon no Tama! He also said that the thought of you being defiled by evil gave him 'shivers of pleasure'.__" _The eyes staring down at her narrowed at the expression on her face. Her pink lips were parted in surprised recognition.

"Onigumo." The name escaped from her lips. Naraku merely smirked hauntingly down at her. His wicked smile sent a shiver of horror down her spine. She had always known of Onigumo's base desires for her – she knew what he ultimately wanted, and that horrified her far more than if his goal was to kill her. Was she to fall victim to Onigumo's lust? She felt his depraved left hand travel down from her shoulder to the obi that held the kimono together. A vision of Sesshoumaru flashed through her mind.

"Always the bright one, eh?" His other hand traveled to her smooth face, "I am the new entity assembled from Onigumo's heart and the flesh of a horde of demons." Kikyou glowered at him, her mind whirling; piecing it all together. "You look so angry, Kikyou. You're so ungrateful for my kindness. I give you a lavish home, good meals, and the finest clothes, and yet all you do is scowl at me." He traced the contour of Kikyou's right cheekbone with a bony finger, "And yet that dog just gives you one measly kimono and you are all over him." At this his eyes darkened as the hand on her face once again moved to rest daringly on her sash. "I'm a lot better than that dog will ever be." He whispered, as his face neared hers. Kikyou gasped in trepidation, remembering the feeling of Sesshoumaru's lips on hers. In her panic, she placed her hands on Naraku's broad shoulders – an extinct from when her spiritual powers were still intact. He just laughed at her failed attempt to defend herself, as he pulled at the sash.

"Sesshoumaru!" She yelped as she felt a surge of power emanate from her fingertips, and before she could make sense of that feeling, a familiar lavender light of spiritual power zapped Naraku where her hands had been. He retracted away in pain, and she hurriedly stood up and held her kimono closed; her dark, lustrous hair obscuring her vision at the rapid movement. Naraku's crimson orbs glowed with animosity.

"Wench!" Naraku bellowed, "You seriously think that dog is going to come for you?" He inquired darkly, approaching her with heavy steps. "If he comes, it won't be for you. It'll be for his demonic powers."

"Come towards me and I'll finish you." Kikyou warned, holding her hands out defensively. At the moment, a servant came through the Shoji door.

"My lord, is everything alright?" It was a young man, and before he could make sense of Kikyou's posture and Naraku's anger etched on his face, Naraku materialized a sword from his hip and decapitated the man heartlessly. The head rolled towards Kikyou's body. Naraku had aimed for it to roll close by her in mock. The priestess could only glare at the demon in complete and utter hatred.

"And so another human dies for your sake. What a cruel miko you are." Naraku snickered, regaining his composure, "That look on your face is quite fitting for a miko tainted by the blood of demons and humans alike."

"Don't come near me." Kikyou's voice rang authoritatively.

"Anger, hatred, rage. So beautiful." Naraku murmured, admiring the deep grimace on her pretty face, the tilt of her eyebrows, and the the fire in her eyes. "How that bandit longed to see you like this. He's wallowing in bliss right now. The only thing he would enjoy more would be to see you naked; writhing under-"

"Half-demon." She interrupted. "You are a pathetic half-demon who is borrowing the strength of the jewel."

"You call me only a half-demon?"

"A demon with a human soul. That qualifies as a half-demon." She spoke evenly, the rage on her face dissipating into an impassive smirk – an empty smile. Her arrogance sent his blood boiling.

"You dare mock me when you are at my mercy?" He sneered back.

"My powers have shown up two times already. That can only mean the jewel reacts to my presence - to my spiritual powers. It cannot completely seal my powers of purity." She began to explain, more to herself than to Naraku. "The jewel was created when the priestess Midoriko sealed herself within the jewel along with the demons she battled. There is good and there is evil. Midoriko grants me her powers of good." Naraku glowered at her.

"Then there is no other answer but to corrupt you." He took a step forward, but Kikyou raised her hands up to guard herself. Thinking it through better, Naraku halted his advance. "However, that can wait." He placed a hand on his chin as his face brightened in malice.

"Fiend, what are you planning?"

"You shall see." Was Naraku's enigmatic response, "I'll send a demon in to clean up this mess." His sight strayed to where the human body lay in a pool of blood. _'Her powers seem to return to her out of sheer will. Perhaps if her spirit were to be broken...' _Was his last thought as he exited the room.

At the same time, Kikyou began to concoct a strategy of her own: a strategy that would evacuate all of the residents of the castle out of harm's way if she could play the cards right. She could only hope Naraku would send for the two women who usually dressed her later, like had been the custom for the last three days.

Pacing through the dark corridors of his foreboding castle, Naraku fiddled with the murky violet pearl in his hand, scrutinizing it with the blood-colored pools that were his eyes. In the sea of cloudy plum within the jewel, he could detect a small beam of resplendent pink – like a solitary ray from the sun peaking out from among the dark clouds amid a ferocious typhoon. A ray of hope. "So the good within the jewel is reacting to Kikyou's purity? Even my darkness cannot fully corrupt the jewel when Kikyou is nearby." His hand closed over the delicate pearl in deep thought. "It needs to absorb more hatred. It needs to absorb Kikyou's hatred. Her darkness." He chuckled darkly, "And I am to bring it about, am I?" His malicious cackles reverberated through the halls of his palace, causing many a servant to shudder at the ominous sound.

A good distance away from outside the castle walls, Sesshoumaru and his motley entourage surveyed the surrounding forest. "Lord Sesshoumaru, judging by the broken branches and dirt path, I judge that we are close to a human settlement." Jaken stated. Sesshoumaru was no fool, he did not need Jaken to tell him, but he said nothing, instead focusing his energy on what the evidence implied.

"I see something!" Kaede exclaimed excitedly. "It's a castle!" She pointed her finger towards the left. Sesshoumaru and Jaken were blind to its presence, but even with his muted human hearing, Sesshoumaru could make out the noisy clamor of castle life.

_'It's almost as if it's too easy...'_ Sesshoumaru thought suspiciously.

"Is that the one?" Jaken questioned Kaede further.

"Yes! When I'm not holding the charm Tsubaki gave me, I can't see it." The child convicted as she felt proud that she was finally able to be of use. "It's a little farther up the mountain. Not too far." She explained once Sesshoumaru's inquisitive gaze fell upon her. In the three days of their search, the quartet had reached the foot of a mountain. In part, their arrival to the castle was thanks to Taro's sense of smell and Kaede's insistence on stopping by at human villages to inquire about any castles or lords in the area.

"Let's go." Was Sesshoumaru's singular command, as he continued on with his gait. In his human body, he felt weary – something he had not truly ever experienced in his demon form. In his beast body, he could go for days without sleep and certainly he did not need to stop every once in a while to rest his legs and feed; he could go on for many leagues without needing to stop. His human body was just beginning to show its most bothersome traits. He briefly thought of using the two-headed dragon to take him the remaining distance, but decided against it when he thought of how gaudy showing up on the back of a dragon would be. They needed to approach the palace discreetly, as to not bring attention to themselves. "We should be there by nightfall." He informed dryly.

**XXX**

"My Lady," The middle-aged woman that had been attending to Kikyou spoke, "I have news for you!"

"That's the first time you've addressed me by that title." Kikyou commented as the older woman aggregated another robe to Kikyou's 'twelve-layer' ensemble.

"Well, that's because you're to be our new lady." The woman, Satsuki was her name if Kikyou had heard correctly, informed. At Kikyou's confused expression, Satsuki further leaked, "You are to be the good lord's wife! That's much better than being his concubine. You're so beautiful he can't resist." She smiled.

"W-What?" Kikyou bit her lip. "When?"

"Well, from what he let on, I'd say rather soon. He already ordered a few women to begin working on your ceremonial kimono!" The woman jabbered in glee. "And he wants them to make haste!"

"I have to act now." Kikyou spoke lowly. "Listen to me, Satsuki. You must keep this from the lord."

"Lady Kikyou?"

"Hear me out, Satsuki," Kikyou whispered, "I am a miko. Protector of the Jewel of Four Souls. The lord of this castle has been possessed by a demon. A demon who has the Shikon Jewel in his possession and has thus subdued me to an extent."

"B-But... that can't be. Our lord does not act so."

"Because he keeps his crimes hidden. Earlier today he killed a man. Satsuki, do you believe me?"

"I cannot say. What proof have you to offer that you are a priestess?" The older woman questioned; Kikyou's words against her lord proving to be a bit overwhelming.

"Surely when he first brought me here I had my priestess garment?"

"When you were first brought here, m'lady, you were only dressed in a plain white kosode." Satsuki replied.

"Trust me." Kikyou pleaded, "That is why you're lord has been acting distant; he is a demon in disguise."

"But why would a demon want to marry a miko?"

"Because... That demon has desired me from the start." Kikyou shortened Naraku's origin, "And he threatens me with your death, along with all of the others who work for him, if I try to escape. You must help me, Satsuki." At this point in her explanation, Kikyou stared into the older woman's weary eyes, "I do not wish to be wife to this sadistic man. He already attempted to... touch me. Please, help me."

"The look on your face says all. I believe you. But how am I to aid you?"

"I need you to evacuate as many residents as you can. As discreetly as you can. Convince them to depart from here without drawing his attention. Don't all leave in a group – he'll notice that. A few at a time should leave and take shelter in the next village over. Make haste. It is evening now and I shall dine with him soon. I shall distract him as much as I can all of tonight." Kikyou wisely advised the woman many years her senior. "Please."

"Y-yes, lady priestess." Satsuki agreed whole-heartedly, "I will do that. Good luck, young lady." And with that said, she continued dressing the worrisome Kikyou. Before leaving to follow Kikyou's orders, Satsuki hugged the younger woman for good measure.

"I shall do all in my power to protect you." Kikyou promised, her ochre eyes full of appreciation.

**XXX**

"Is the lord not coming to join me?" Kikyou asked a man standing guard at the entrance to the dining room.

"No ma'am." The guard replied distantly.

Kikyou gritted her teeth, knowing that she needed to keep Naraku's attention for all of the servants to be able to escape without his notice. "Could you do me a favor, young man?" Kikyou asked sweetly.

"Depends on the favor, my lady." The shy man replied earnestly.

"Could you perhaps send for the lord? Tell him I'd like to dine with him."

"I cannot leave my post..." The young man spoke, but at seeing the beseeching look on her face, he quickly added, "But I can send someone else." He gulped, not being able to resist an attractive young lady's simple request.

"It would be much appreciated." She smiled slyly.

Meanwhile, on the outside, servants were already beginning their journey to the next village over, frightened by Satsuki's warning of the lord being a demon. They had sensed something amiss even before Kikyou had informed Satsuki of Naraku, so they had only needed a small push from someone, namely a priestess like Kikyou, to run away. Sesshoumaru, Jaken, and Kaede were witness to the exodus, as they hid from view in the dense foliage surrounding the palace.

"What's the meaning of this?" Jaken whispered as groups of people made their way through the dark, into the forest opposite them.

"It seems to me they're escaping. Maybe sister has something to do with this?" Kaede replied to Jaken's question. "Maybe we should approach one of them?"

"No, if they are escaping, that will only scare them and they'll cause a ruckus. Then they'll get caught and so will we." Jaken reasoned logically. Jaken turned to Sesshoumaru for input, but the tall man seemed too engrossed in his own private cogitation to hear the pair out.

Sesshoumaru began to sniff at the air – something quite uncharacteristic of him. He never made it apparent when he was using his keen olfactory power. It seemed he was trying hard to catch something's scent.

"That's useless. Us humans can't smell very far..." Kaede pointed out, but Sesshoumaru did not relent.

"Her scent. I can smell it." Sesshoumaru muttered to himself, not bothering to concern himself with the girl's words. Kaede and Jaken looked at each other bewildered.

"L-Lord Sesshoumaru that's impossible. Perhaps it's only your imagination!" Jaken warned, which didn't sit well with Sesshoumaru as he stopped sniffing to throw an ominous glare at the little imp.

"Do you think me a fool, Jaken?"

"N-No, just maybe a little... delusional?" At this response Jaken was pummeled to the ground with Sesshoumaru's foot.

"Kaede, stay here. I go alone." Sesshoumaru ordered, and Kaede was about to protest, but decided against it when it registered in her mind that the proud Sesshoumaru had called her by her name for the first time.

"Wait, Lord Sesshoumaru, take these with you!" Kaede held out Kikyou's long bow and arrows out to the former demon man. "Kikyou is going to need these if she's going to fight alongside you." She smiled. Wordlessly, Sesshoumaru took the weapons off the child's hands, slinging both the bow and quiver of arrows over his left shoulder. Before Jaken could protest, Sesshoumaru was off, hiding himself among the shrubs and bushes.

_'I do not know why my heightened sense of smell has returned, but I shall make use of it. I must follow Kikyou's scent.'_

**XXX**

Naraku had come at her request, as Kikyou thought he would. She had tried to keep him – stall him – for as long as she could. In the end, she had managed to keep his attention solely on her, unaware of the exodus that she had ordered to take place. Naraku was not a dog demon, and thus had not the superior sense of smell and hearing that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had both been blessed with. He could not tell very easily who was moving around in his castle.

"I thought you wouldn't to see me after today's stunt." Naraku had asked her as the servants served him food. "Don't tell me you've had a change of heart?"

"I wished to discuss things with you, is all." Kikyou had feigned; there was nothing to discuss with a monster like him, but she had to find a way to keep his interest piqued. "They are private matters though, _my lord_." Kikyou had then glanced at the guard at the door, trying to hint at Naraku.

"Leave boy, your presence is no longer needed." And so the boy was out of the picture. Kikyou was usually a forward and direct kind of person, but in the situation she was in, she beat around the bush, extending her "discussion" for quite a while. Naraku, or rather Onigumo, was too busy admiring her beauty and undressing her with his eyes to be bothered by her long-winded talk of how she would _promise_ to obey him if he didn't hurt the residents who worked under him. Alas, she could not keep him in the dining room forever, as he eventually grew tired of listening to her speak and announced he was to retire to his room, leaving Kikyou to herself. "Goodnight, Kikyou. My future wife." He had snickered seductively as he slid a finger underneath her dainty chin.

"Now how to occupy him further?" Kikyou asked herself aloud in the room she had been forced to stay in since the first day. Only a solitary candlelight shone in the darkness of the room, the flickering light of the flame casting a shadowy dance upon Kikyou's body. From the paper screen window on the outside, Kikyou's silhouette flickered along with the flame from the candlelight.

The sound of paper ripping was what brought Kikyou from her meditation. She gasped and stood up slowly, the weight of her various layers of robes and kimonos delaying her usual nimbleness.

Kikyou's heart leaped at the sight – it was none other than Sesshoumaru that emerged from the ripped shoji window, standing before her in all his regal glory.

"You came..." Was all that Kikyou could manage to murmur out as she felt her legs move towards him almost cautiously, scared that he was just a mirage of her dreams; that he would slip away as soon as she got too close to him, but as she neared him, he did not vanish, and before she could think, she wrapped her arms around him.

And to her further astonishment, the icy prince returned the gesture, lowering his head to settle his chin atop her glossy raven head.

**XXX**

**Author's Notes: **Well, here is to another chapter. Hip hip... HOORAY! Thanks for all the support! Your reviews/messages/alerts/favorites are much appreciated and keep me going. :) By the way, that story cover up there... I drew it. Sorry for any mistakes. As I was editing, my hyperactive puppy kept trying to lick my ears. -_-

Toodles! 'Till next time, readers.


	30. Hate Me, Love Me

**XXX**

**Chapter Thirty: _Hate Me_**

**XXX**

Never before had Kikyou ever felt such relief wash through her, and never did she imagine the cause of her relief would be the appearance of a demon. "You came…" Her voice slightly cracked in her enthusiasm at his emergence from the outside. She laid her head against his body armor, relinquishing the strange happiness that coursed through her – the delectable pounding against her chest, the rush of blood to her face, the warmth that accompanied their embrace. The man she cared for was with her and had come for her. It was exhilarating. She felt alive.

The receiver of her tender embrace, Sesshoumaru, had similar disconcerting feelings. At the sight of her, seemingly unmarred and unharmed, he felt a strange wave of warmth that washed away his previous feelings of unease. He felt his arms unwittingly follow her example and wrap around her dainty body to rest his hands upon the small of her back, resting his chin upon her shiny black head. He heard the thrashing of her heart and the whisper of her breath and let himself be lulled by it. It made no sense, to be _happy _at her safety, but at that point, he didn't care, as the peaceful feeling of her lean physique against his sturdy one was far more overbearing than any logic he had left in him. Once again, he let his rationale burn in hell.

Sesshoumaru relocated his hands to her shoulders and softly nudged Kikyou apart from him a few paces to study her countenance. She was dressed like a princess. He found her to be visually astounding with her long dark tresses running free and unrestrained from her head, the pink blush on her usually color-bereft visage, the red rouge on her thin lips, and the lush barrage of colors from her fine twelve-layer kimono ensemble. She looked like royalty. He imagined her in a different setting; he imagined her in _his _castle, sitting by him, overlooking the Western Lands. But the smell of the despicable Naraku on her garments quickly ruined his enchantment. "I can smell Naraku all over you." He growled irately.

"Quiet or they'll hear us." She shushed him, "It's the clothes." She asserted, but he saw right through the slight twitch of her lips; heard the jagged edge of her sharp intake of breath. Under any other circumstances, he would stop to think how strange it was to hear such a subtle sound with human hearing, but that thought was passed over in favor of the implications Naraku's putrid scent carried.

"No, I can smell him on your skin." Sesshoumaru let out a low snarl, and Kikyou caught a faint vestige of crimson in his honey-colored eyes. First his speak of scents and then his change of eye color from brown back to bright brass prompted Kikyou to think his human transformation was reversing, but she didn't get the chance to ponder too long on it, as Sesshoumaru interrupted her train of thought with his heavy footsteps towards the Shoji door.

"No, you mustn't!" Kikyou whispered after him, "We must think this through." She pleaded.

"He touched you. He must die. Now." The red from Sesshoumaru's eyes became more noticeable as he growled out his menacing statement.

"But you cannot just barge in there and expect to…" She trailed off, taking note of his resumed march towards the door. With conviction, the young woman thudded silently after him, intercepting his path by standing in front of him obstinately. His scathing golden stare clearly said, "move", but Kikyou wasn't about to relent as she caught him completely off guard with her next action. The usually shy, reserved priestess boldly subdued the tall man before her by standing on the tips of her toes and planting a kiss on his lips. Alas, her brazen attempt did halt him, as he stopped his advance to sink into her further. It was the first time Kikyou had ever initiated touch between them, and also the first time her lips moved with his in sensuous rhythm. Had they not been in Naraku's castle, the moment would have been ten times better.

"Take it off." Sesshoumaru ordered as he pulled apart from her, "Take off your clothes." Kikyou stared at him hardly – had he really just ordered her to undress? She was about to protest his perverted command, but his intent was clarified with his next few words, "I cannot withstand the stench." He said, dryly, turning away from her to unbuckle his cuirass and fur to shrug off his silky white kimono top, which left him in just his plain white undershirt. "Here," He threw the shirt at her haplessly, "Wear that." She stared at him dumfounded, but his sharp voice urged her to act quickly, "Hurry up."

"Don't look," She warned him before she began peeling off layer after layer of kimono, soon leaving her naked. In haste and discomfort, she quickly draped Sesshoumaru's large shirt over her lithe body, biting her lip when she realized there was no way to tie it and keep it closed. Sighing, she picked up the tie from Naraku's kimono from the floor. The hem of Sesshoumaru's kimono reached down to cover most of her thigh, which she was embarrassed by – she had never shown so much skin, after all, but still she was grateful that the demon lord was much taller than her, otherwise it would be much worse. "I'm done." She announced as he finished attaching his armor back in place. "Now we must figure out how to get the Shikon Jewel from Naraku."

Sesshoumaru turned around, pleased that Naraku's scent had at least been stifled to a tolerable level. He couldn't help but stare. She was truly flustered – her cheeks were not only ablaze but also her expression was contorted into one of awkward uneasiness. She tugged down the cloth lower at his scrutiny, trying to hide more of her skin, but it was useless as it sprung back up. Sesshoumaru's deadpan stare did not reveal his appreciation of her womanly figure dressed only in his kimono.

"Naraku is but a half-demon," Kikyou began, regaining her usual stony composure, "And because he is not a dog demon, he cannot hear us nor smell us. I am a human; he cannot distinguish my presence, especially not with my muted spiritual powers." She reasoned, "To him, my aura would read as any other human servant. I could approach him by surprise and try to trick him out of the jewel…"

"No." He negated, "I go with you."

"Sesshoumaru, he'd detect your aura. You said you could smell Naraku on me, and your eyes have returned back to their original color. It can only mean your demonic powers are returning, inexplicably." Kikyou explained, while Sesshoumaru unsheathed the Tenseiga to gaze upon his reflection.

"You're right." He agreed. '_That explains the return of my demonic hearing and smell, but does this mean my powers have returned?'_ He gazed at his hands, hoping to find his talons, but was disappointed to find that his former claws were still only blunt human fingernails. He resisted the urge to growl in frustration. "But that does not mean I shall let that bastard have any more moments alone with you." He practically spat. Kikyou quirked an eyebrow, which prompted Sesshoumaru to vehemently whisper, "I do not know if he's revealed his true nature to you, Kikyou, but your sister thinks it's some wretched Onigumo fellow."

"I have come to that conclusion as well." Kikyou solemnly replied, remembering when Naraku had nearly forced himself on her. Sesshoumaru sensed her change of demeanor, and was quick to jump to conclusions.

"What did that wretch do?!" He demanded to know, letting his voice fluctuate, "Did he dare touch you?"

"He tried." At the slight reddening of his golden eyes, she further revealed, "But I didn't let him. I refused to be held by that despicable man." She spoke indignantly, and looking at Sesshoumaru, she softly added, "I will not let a single man but you touch a single hair on my head."

The duo stared at each other, Kikyou subconsciously wishing for him to say something back – no matter how vague it be, just something, _just a little something_, to quell her longing for him. Just something to let her know that she wasn't delusional, but alas, she was met with silence. Sesshoumaru was about to open his mouth (to allay her wildly beating heart, she hoped), but before he could fill the emptiness with his words, a baleful cackle interrupted.

"How nauseatingly sweet." Naraku's voice bellowed. The two stopped with their intense stare, trying to spot the evil demon in the room. "Did you really think that you could fool me, Sesshoumaru? I knew you'd come."

"Show yourself, coward!" Kikyou yelled. Sesshoumaru seemed to catch Naraku's scent, but before going in the direction of the stench, the dog demon threw the bow and quiver Kaede had given to him on the floor next to Kikyou, but before she could equip herself with them, a tentacle wrapped around her foot, knocking her to the floor. Seeing this, Sesshoumaru was about to act when he too was pushed back by a tentacle and directed into a giant spider web. He struggled against the sticky webbing, but to no avail – Naraku had pinned him down well. Kikyou fared the same against the brown, branch-like tentacles that constricted around all four of her limbs. She desperately tried to summon her purification abilities, but it was no use; her powers lay dormant when she was sure she needed them the most. The tentacles dragged her across the floor, and for the first time, she truly felt the stinging prickling of fear grasp her heart. Death would have scared her less, but she knew Onigumo's desires, and those base yearnings of his were much more terrifying than an impending fatality. The woman clawed at the floor in panic.

"So pitiful. You really thought you could escape me? How humorous." Naraku mocked as he pulled Kikyou off the floor and into his arms roughly, as if she was a rag doll. Her back was to his stomach. "You two deserve each other. Such an arrogant pair." He scoffed, grabbing a handful of Kikyou's moonlit raven tresses and brusquely swinging her around to face him, "But alas, Kikyou is mine." He laughed then.

"I will never be yours." Kikyou retorted through gritted teeth. Naraku merely ignored her, instead focusing on Sesshoumaru's seething glare.

"I knew you were coming, Sesshoumaru. I even hoped you would. You see, dear Kikyou has this nasty little habit of purifying things. Quite bothersome, I must say." Naraku petted her head tenderly, "But I cannot have that. Because of her irritating virtuousness, I cannot completely defile the jewel – or her for that matter."

"Such great lengths you go through for a mere human girl." Sesshoumaru snarled insultingly at the blood-eyed demon.

"I can say the same for you." Naraku launched back, "But might I add that I at least have an excuse. After all, I was born of a bandit's desire for this woman. You, however, a demon, have no shame. Such fuss for a mere human girl." He fired Sesshoumaru's words right back at him, causing the other demon to contort his face in anger; an emotion he had never denied himself, but still refused to show on his countenance. But Naraku made it flicker on his face like never before. Worse than his little brother did.

"Silence, you fool!" Sesshoumaru snapped.

"Yes, hate me. Release your thoughts of bloodlust upon me. Fantasize of my death all you like, Lord Sesshoumaru." Naraku laughed. Kikyou stared up at Naraku, trying to discern his intentions. The dark demon finally directed his attention to her, staring down at her with those cruel, cruel eyes, savoring the knot of apprehension written subtly over her face. Without further ado, Naraku threw her to the floor. "And you, sweet Kikyou, send your loathing to me." He smiled wickedly as he approached her. She picked herself off the ground and ran across the room, to where Sesshoumaru laid entangled in Naraku's web, trying to tear the webs apart with her bare hands with all her might.

"Unsheathe the sword," Sesshoumaru voiced in urgency, and she pulled out the plain sword he had acquired after his transformation. She hacked and slashed, meanwhile Naraku took slow steps towards her, chortling all the while. The sword only got stuck, and in vain she released it from her grasp and continued to pry the webs with her hands, hoping that her powers would return to her. "Run." Was Sesshoumaru's singular command, but the girl could not bring herself to abandon him; instead she latched onto him, as if her body would protect him. She heard him repeat his command, but she did not budge. Where would she run to anyway? Naraku would deter her attempts of escape.

"Kikyou, it's useless. My webs entrap Sesshoumaru, but reject interference from you, or anyone for that matter." Naraku explained darkly, getting nearer still. He grabbed for Kikyou's shoulders, peeling her off from Sesshoumaru as he watched angrily. "You cannot escape." Naraku reiterated as he pinned her down on the floor.

"What are you doing?!" Sesshoumaru raised his voice at the sight, but Naraku ignored him as he gripped Kikyou's neck with one large hand and caressed her cheek with the other.

"Ah, what's this?" Naraku played with the material of Sesshoumaru's generously provided kimono, "Were my garments not to your liking? That's too bad. But these aren't to _my _liking, so they'll be coming off." Naraku spoke, almost whimsically as he played with Kikyou's obi. At his intentions, Kikyou kicked at Naraku violently, but she was no match for the half-demon's immense physical strength; he held in her place with just a single hand to her throat.

"Onigumo… you vile man!" Kikyou gasped out; entangling her hands in the arm he used to subdue her.

"That's right, direct your hatred towards me! The man who shall defile your soul as well as your body!" At that he pushed a stray tendril of dark hair from her face, tracing his hand along her jaw and then towards the collarbone that peeked out from the opening of Sesshoumaru's top.

"No!" Kikyou rejected, digging her fingernails into Naraku's arm, piercing his skin with the force she exerted. To further restrain her, Naraku moved both of his hands to her thin shoulders.

"Yes!" Naraku mocked nastily as he lowered himself further onto her, sending a wave of panic to swab over Kikyou. Sesshoumaru began to let out a continuous low growl, sounding at times more like a vicious roar more than a dog's snarl. From where she lay underneath Naraku, she could see Sesshoumaru's beautiful golden irises being overtaken by a tide of scarlet. She fought the urge to cry in hopelessness as Naraku lowered his lips to hers.

_How dare he?! _Kikyou thought as Naraku pressed his thin lips to hers. _How dare he?_ She continued to think as Naraku tried to coax her mouth to life, as he defiled the lips that had only ever felt Sesshoumaru's lips upon them. On the outside, she remained passive; her eyes glazed over – the muscles of her face tensed into a frosty façade and her lips remained cold and unmoving, but in the inside, her mind was screaming in disgust. She felt acidic bile rise from her stomach and crawl through her innards; that was the extent of the repugnance, it caused her to want to regurgitate the dinner she had half-heartedly bitten into only a few hours earlier. _Anything but this_, she exasperatedly pleaded to the gods – the gods she had worshipped – if they did indeed exist. She allowed herself to gasp loudly when she felt a filthy hand invade the confines of her clothes, and then the vomit threatened to spill when Naraku dared to enter his vile tongue into her unsoiled mouth, but before she could choke in nausea, she bit onto his tongue – hard.

"You bitch!" Naraku yelped in genuine pain as he withdrew his oozing red appendage back into his own mouth before landing a great harsh slap across Kikyou's countenance, not managing to shatter the plucky smirk on her pale face.

"Run now!" Sesshoumaru barked at Kikyou, angered by Naraku's infliction but proud at the woman's iron resolve; proud of the woman's absolute refusal to be sullied by the scum Naraku was. That time, she did as she was told, running to where her bow and arrows laid forgotten on the floor.

"But alas, I must agree that your struggle only serves to excite me further. The chase, the fight, the conquer. Yes, I was never one for submissive girls." Naraku, no – Onigumo, mercilessly laughed. Kikyou aimed point blank at Naraku, on her face the same defiant look. "I thought I had explained arrows were useless against me."

_All I need is one shot. Please, Midoriko, lend me your power! _

She released the arrow and it ingrained itself into his torso, but it wasn't of any use, just like he had said. He pulled the arrow out, ignoring the blood as he continued to glare at her darkly; his eyes glossed over in lust. He smirked as he looked her up and down, as he took in her figure. His eyes traced the feisty expression on her face, he stared at the small patch of skin of collarbone revealed by the slightly opened kimono, he leered at the slope of her bosom, and he licked his lips at the sight of lusciously long legs. He wanted her so badly. He wanted to take her away with him, far, far away, where he would take her as his wife and live forever surrounded in riches. He shook his head violently to clear his thoughts as he stamped after her. She wasn't about to give up; she would continue firing arrows until her powers would come back. She knew they would eventually.

Kikyou didn't get to fire many arrows as Naraku lurched at her with an unexpected tentacle that knocked her and her bow onto the floor. Before she could get up, Naraku was on her once again, his hands beginning to wander as she beat at him continually with her fists.

"No! No! NO!" Kikyou repeated, her voice rising in volume like a flaring mantra. To the left of Naraku's unwelcome advances and Kikyou's struggle, Sesshoumaru was baring his teeth – rather more like fangs – like a rabid dog.

"Like what you see, Sesshoumaru?" Naraku questioned cynically, momentarily halting his pursuit to uncover more of Kikyou's flesh to taunt Sesshoumaru.

"Kiykou," Sesshoumaru stopped his constant growl to murmur, "I'm… sorry." He spoke lowly – so softly that Kikyou wasn't sure if she had heard right. "Someone to protect… Have I failed?" He spoke absently, as if to himself and not to the two figures strewn on the floor.

"Sesshoumaru…" Kikyou whispered, doubting she had heard correctly, but as she glanced up to meet his eyes, she was reassured – she had heard right, and her heart began to beat frantically against her chest. She returned her concentration back to Naraku.

'_I can see a light in Naraku's shoulder… The Shikon Jewel, is it?'_ Kikyou wondered wearily, _'Then, if I can see it that means…'_ Her thoughts trailed off, as she stretched a hand to reach his shoulder. _'If I can just reach it…' _Naraku was too busy goading in Sesshoumaru's ire to notice the cautious hand travelling to his shoulder.

At the same time Kikyou grasped Naraku's shoulder and released a bright light of spiritual power, Sesshoumaru simultaneously escaped from Naraku's web with what seemed to be the poison of his newly-recovered claws. Naraku retracted rapidly from Kikyou's grasp in obvious pain. Swiftly, Sesshoumaru went to shield Kikyou, who stood up triumphantly and fixed Sesshoumaru's kimono from Naraku's assault. "It's over, Naraku. I shall end your pitiful life now." Sesshoumaru informed bluntly, cracking his clawed fingers in warning.

"I feel my spiritual power pulsing beneath my skin." Kikyou commented, "I shall purify the jewel!" She shouted, grabbing the discarded bow and arrows by her feet.

"But how? The jewel should be completely corrupted! It absorbed your hatred for me!"

"So that was your plan." Kikyou pulled an arrow back, focusing all of her energy to flow unto the tip of the sharp arrow. '_But he's right... the jewel should have taken both Sesshoumaru and my ill feelings. Then? Could it have been… my feelings for Sesshoumaru?++-' _Kikyou had no idea how right she was. The jewel had reacted to the purity of her soul, of her untainted affection for Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru and Kikyou's feelings for one another surpassed the hatred they felt for Naraku, despite the horrible circumstances and the depraved actions of Naraku. It had reacted to both of their wishes. "No matter, you shall pay for your crimes now." Kikyou enunciated dangerously.

"No, I'm not done yet." Naraku assured before striking the ground between him and the couple, causing the floor to collapse, almost as if the whole castle was gurgling and splitting apart into two, leaving a deep, gaping scar in the building. This gave enough of a distraction so that Naraku could run off and disappear into the darkness of the hallways of the mansion.

"Damn him!" Sesshoumaru cursed at the demon's escape.

"The jewel is still lending him power. I need to purify it, along with him." As a reply, Sesshoumaru offered his clawed hand, inviting her to allow him to whisk her off to defeat Naraku. Kikyou took a moment to admire Sesshoumaru's moonlit figure. The royal blue crescent moon had returned on his forehead, along with the two magenta stripes on his cheeks. His hair still rivaled the darkness of a moonless sky, but his golden-eyes bore into her, sending tiny tingles down to her very core. He was a deadly beauty indeed, Kikyou thought - _killing perfection_, she added when she caught the glimmer of his clawed nails. Recalling his words from earlier, the words that had sent her heart into frenzy and that had overpowered the anger Naraku had swelled, she took his hand and he lifted her easily onto his back. His demon agility had returned, as he easily leapt over the deep ravine that had formed between Naraku and themselves and continued to run, using his power of smell to follow Naraku's scent. He caught a hint of another distinct smell, but ignored it as it was ludicrous.

"KIKYOU!" A shrill scream cut through Sesshoumaru's keen hearing, but only faintly resounded in Kikyou's ear. Sesshoumaru quickened his pace, sensing Kikyou's tightened grip on his shoulders. Naraku's scent leaded the pair to the outside castle grounds and there they found a most confusing scene. As the scream had indicated, Kaede was being held hostage by Naraku, while Jaken squawked around in surprise and panic. What they hadn't expected to see was Inuyasha, standing solemnly off to the side, gazing off to the distance – on his boyish face the saddest look Kikyou and Sesshoumaru had ever seen him don. His eyes were the same golden hue as Sesshoumaru's were; he was a half-demon again. Kikyou openly gasped. Sesshoumaru blinked, wondering how it was possible.

"Looks like Inuyasha has come to pay you a visit, Kikyou." Naraku bellowed in the background, keeping his grip around Kaede firm.

"Get your filthy hands off of my sister!" Kikyou cried, truly losing her temper.

"I'd be more worried about Inuyasha if I were you." Naraku replied.

"You think me a fool, Onigumo? It must be an illusion, Inuyasha is sealed. He cannot be released unless I will it so." Kikyou dismissed, dislodging herself from Sesshoumaru's hold.

"He is the real deal. Sesshoumaru can confirm that, I assume. You must have subconsciously willed it so, then, Kikyou, for here Inuyasha is, standing before us." Naraku reasoned, "Our conversation may have triggered it. Maybe you realized that you did love Inuyasha, after all. It sure seemed that way." He added dryly.

"What?" Kikyou stared confusedly, '_Could it be true? Did I unknowingly desire to release Inuyasha?'_ Sesshoumaru's growl brought her out of her thoughts. "Sesshoumaru, I..." She turned to him, meeting his heated gaze, "Naraku only spews out nonsense." She asserted, touching her hand softly against his left arm.

"My, what a conflict. Two brothers vying for the love of the same woman. And she may not even be able to decide…"

"That is not true. Sesshoumaru, you know that's - " But Kikyou was not able to finish, as Inuyasha interrupted her.

"Kikyou, you betrayed me." Inuyasha accused steadily, gazing at her forlornly. "I should have known better than to trust someone."

"I betrayed you…? Do you not remember what you did, Inuyasha? You stole the jewel and killed innocent people!" Kikyou retaliated. Sesshoumaru merely glared at his brother, part of him offended by Naraku's supposition – could it be that Kikyou did love the half-breed? He couldn't fathom why else she would wish for him to be free. He scowled and clenched his fist, thinking of the words he had spared her; the words that betrayed his logic and had asked for forgiveness. Had he wasted them on a woman who couldn't even decide between himself and a dirty half-breed? A decision that should have been easily resolved, he thought.

"_I will not let a single man but you touch a single hair on my head."_

Kikyou's earlier words reverberated through his mind, through his being. The woman had never been easy to read, but at the moment when she had spoken those heartfelt words, he had easily been able to read the yearning on her face. Sesshoumaru was confused. Kikyou seemed to summon a lot of consternation, he thought before turning his attention to Inuyasha, willing himself to forget the subject until after their impending battle.

"You betrayed me, Inuyasha – to make yourself a demon! As priestess, I had no other choice but to stop you." Kikyou asserted.

"You pretended to be kind to me!" Inuyasha shouted, the somber expression wiped out by anger, "And then you asked me to kill Sesshoumaru! But it was all a lie. You just wanted to get rid of me. Because I'm a half-demon."

"Enough, Inuyasha. You are an imbecile who fell into the trap of another." Sesshoumaru slandered, "You do not deserve to be any brother of mine!" He barked, launching himself at Inuyasha. Inuyasha's red eyes returned as he counter-attacked his elder brother's assault. Kikyou stared on in disbelief at Inuyasha's reappearance.

'_I unconsciously desired for Inuyasha's release? But... how and why? I was still hurt by his betrayal. I still am. It doesn't make any sense.' _Kikyou cogitated as the two brothers began their hateful feud. She pushed her bemusement to the side as she focused on the task at hand: saving Kaede from Naraku's clutches.

**XXX**

**Author's Notes: **Alrightie, another chapter done. Phew! I've come up with a detailed outline for each of the remaining last few chapters, so this fic won't be discontinued. It's almost done! I hope this chapter wasn't too bad. It was difficult to write out this chapter. O_o So hopefully I didn't fail. A lot of this was written on my birthday. Yup, it recently passed. Within this last week. It would be nice to receive feedback! Whether it's constructive criticism or just letting me know what you thought of the chapter. Thank you readers and reviewers again for your continued support.


	31. Beyond the Bird Cage

**C. Mushroom Says:** This isn't the end. There are 2 (maybe 3, most likely 2) chapters left. _Keep that in mind._

**XXX**

**Chapter 31: Beyond the Bird Cage **

**XXX**

"Has your fighting style changed, Inuyasha? You usually come at me blindly." Sesshoumaru taunted his half-brother as he pursued the half-demon after he had dodged Sesshoumaru's deadly poison claws. Inuyasha did not reply, instead focusing all of his attention on escaping the older demon's attempts on his life. '_Inuyasha carries the scent of a half-demon and yet I saw his eyes flash red…'_

Sesshoumaru's thought process was interrupted when Inuyasha finally attempted to land an attack on him, but Sesshoumaru was quick to leap out of harm's way, "My Inuyasha, you've even managed to become even slower than before." Inuyasha kept his vow of silence, only furrowing his black eyebrows further in anger. Inuyasha was usually back lashing a wave of insults at Sesshoumaru, but instead he mostly remained terse, only once in a while sputtering out an angry "jackass" from his mouth. Inuyasha's atypical behavior mystified Sesshoumaru. Had he matured over the span of his time sealed to the tree? Sesshoumaru doubted it.

"Priestess, please tell Lord Sesshoumaru to forgive me!" Jaken halted his panicked hobbling around to address Kikyou, whom had appeared beside him, bow in hand. "That bastard came out of nowhere and before I could use the Nintoujo he had already attacked the dragon and gotten a hold of the little girl!"

"I believe you, Jaken." Kikyou regarded the little imp's explanation and allayed his fear, "Now please calm down. Sesshoumaru and I are here." Kikyou kept her glaring eyes on Naraku, who smiled wickedly.

"This little brat. Kaede, is it? I could never care enough to remember your name." Naraku started indifferently, "But you've died once already, haven't you?"

"Because of you!" The little girl struggled aggressively in his grasp.

"Tell me, little girl, how would you like to die again?" Naraku inquired darkly. Kikyou's eyes widened and she visibly tensed. "Ah, your older sister is displeased."

"She has nothing to do with this. Please, I implore you, let her go." Kikyou asked of Naraku, but his eyes remained cold and heartless as his grip on Kaede did not relent.

"She's your little sister, Kikyou. She's very precious to you. She has _everything_ to do with this." Naraku narrowed his gaze, letting a smirk escape as Kikyou aimed at him. "I don't think it'd be of your best interest to shoot. If you kill me, you kill her too." He warned. Defeated, Kikyou brought her bow down. "I can; however, offer you a deal. If you come along nicely, I'll spare the girl's life."

From his place chasing after Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru heard Naraku's words. Hearing them, he left Inuyasha to himself. His dupe little brother could wait. He had a feeling that Naraku was pulling Inuyasha's strings anyhow, therefore, getting rid of Naraku first seemed like the most logical idea.

"Ah, so comes the lovesick puppy coming to defend his little wench." Naraku insulted unscrupulously.

"You desire her – want her, yet you call her only a wench? You have no respect." Sesshoumaru belittled, brandishing his poison-tinted claws threateningly.

"The egotistical _Lord _Sesshoumaru thinks a mere human deserves a demon's respect? Hn, how unheard of." Naraku mocked, the child still securely tucked in his arms. "However, this is a choice Kikyou must make. Will you let your sister die, or will you come along with me? Either you be mine, or you will burn."

Kikyou stared at the man who held her innocent younger sister in his arms. Once again, she had failed to protect her sister; had failed to keep her kin out of harm's way, failed to be a good older sibling. Kaede was suffering because of her older sister's actions, because Kikyou had taken in Onigumo, had let him fall in twisted love with her, and because she, in turn, had fallen in love with Sesshoumaru. "I'm so sorry, Kaede." Kikyou apologized, "You always get dragged into the consequences of my mistakes." She added, staring at her little sister wistfully, as she hung her head low.

Seeing Kikyou's defeated expression, Sesshoumaru intervened, "I think not." He interrupted, before Kikyou caught a glimpse of shining platinum hair. Before Kikyou or Naraku could register what was happening, Sesshoumaru had pushed Naraku away with a blow to the stomach and had Kaede safely in his arms. He deposited the confused child beside Kikyou. "You underestimated my power, Naraku." Sesshoumaru's hair was back to its former silver-blue glory. Kikyou ordered the child to run and take cover with Jaken and the dragon.

"And you used that to your advantage. Heh. It seems the jewel couldn't fully seal your demonic power, unfortunately." Naraku wiped off some blood that had trickled out of his mouth due to the force of Sesshoumaru's blow. "I wonder if Kikyou had something to do with that as well." He sent an evil glare in the young woman's direction.

"Now die!" Sesshoumaru charged at Naraku, but unlike last time, Naraku was prepared and leapt into the air and released a swathing of his thick, poisonous gas. In an instant, the poison fumes extended over and enveloped the parameter of the castle grounds, instantly blinding Sesshoumaru, Kikyou, Kaede, and Jaken. Sesshoumaru dropped his pursuit, knowing that Naraku had already scattered away from his previous position, or so his ears told him. Because he had returned to his full-demon splendor, the miasma didn't affect him if he breathed it in, but it did blanket the entire area with a particular noxious smell, dulling his powerful nose. His ears were going to be his main ally, Sesshoumaru thought.

"Silence, Jaken!" Sesshoumaru shouted into the dense purple smoke, annoyed by Jaken's earsplitting wails that were interfering with finding Naraku and Kikyou; mainly Kikyou, whom despite her status as a powerful miko, was human, and thus vulnerable to Naraku's deadly vapors. He focused on the sounds, but could not distinguish whose footsteps were whose. The footfalls came from everywhere, sounding like a confused choir of drunken people striking taiko drums with padded sticks.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kikyou called out, "Find Naraku! Do not worry about the miasma, I can easily purify it." She whispered the next part, "The Shikon Jewel is in his left shoulder." Trusting in the woman's words, Sesshoumaru grew awfully still, detecting two sets of footsteps moving around. One was a saunter, the other was a swift run. Knowing his brother well, he concluded Inuyasha was the one running around like an idiot, trying to find a way out. Deciding Inuyasha was the lesser threat, Sesshoumaru followed the thuds of what he presumed were Naraku's footfalls. A pervading laugh soon rung through the area, and Sesshoumaru wasted no time in following its trail.

"You've found me." Naraku sniggered as the miasma around them lessened; allowing Sesshoumaru to distinguish Naraku's imposing form. Sesshoumaru felt his rage swell up in him at the worthless half-demon's cocky smile. "But isn't it Kikyou you should be trying to find?"

"Silence! Your voice grates on my nerves." Sesshoumaru ordered, flicking his claw dangerously in warning.

"Don't say I didn't give you a hint later." Naraku enigmatically scoffed, not heeding to Sesshoumaru's command. Not caring for Naraku's puzzling words, the fully restored demon lord pounced on Naraku, aiming for the dark demon's left shoulder, as Kikyou had instructed. Naraku was nowhere near the strength Sesshoumaru had, but with his tricks and folly, he proved to be an evasive fellow.

In the time that Sesshoumaru had been following around for Naraku's smell, Kikyou was walking around, also trying to detect Naraku's whereabouts. It wasn't easy, considering that both Inuyasha and Naraku were half-demons. There was usually a slight difference, but she guessed the miasma must have been messing with her senses.

"Kikyou." A voice emerged from the thick miasma. She didn't even have to glance towards the direction of the voice to recognize that rough tone.

"Inuyasha." She uttered the half-demon's name into the air, wary of him, "What is it that you want?" She knew he was behind her, but she didn't turn to face him, giving him the cold shoulder for his gall at trying to accuse her of _his _betrayal.

"You aren't harmed by the miasma?" Inuyasha questioned.

"No, I'm not. Inuyasha, are you working together with Naraku?" Kikyou threw the half-demon a question of her own, finally bothering to face him.

"What's it to you?" Inuyasha gruffly answered, "You should just worry about your own business. Or rather, what will happen to Sesshoumaru."

"You plan to kill him? Please, Inuyasha, don't make me laugh." Kikyou retorted cruelly, "You cannot kill Sesshoumaru. As you are, you are only a half-demon; you only possess a sliver of your brother's demonic power. It'd be unwise to confront him."

"You're just like him. Snooty bitch." Kikyou flinched at the insult; although Inuyasha was at times brash and brazen, he had never been disrespectful towards her. "You think you're too good for a half-demon? Well get this straight, Kikyou, you're only a human! A weak and pathetic creature that is at my mercy." Inuyasha snarled.

"I never said that I felt superior to you, or ever implied it. I know I am but a human, Inuyasha, of that you need not remind me of." She harshly admonished, "I did not wish to be your enemy, but now that you seemed to have joined forces with that vile Naraku, it cannot be helped."

"Please, Kikyou, you were itching to kill me. You go around and pretend to be all prim and proper and pure, but I know better. You reek of the stench of blood. You're tainted by it. I was an idiot to think I was ever in love with a girl like you."

Kikyou's expression remained as impassive as it ever was, but his words had struck a nerve.

"And listen close, because this is important. Sesshoumaru, he's going to get rid of you too, once he's bored with you. You think a full-demon would lower his sights on some stupid human girl? Hell no. You're just a phase, a pastime, so if I were you, I'd forget about any 'love' and shit like that. He's a demon, after all."

"Inuyasha… You are horrible. How can you say such things? I cared for you, Inuyasha. I trusted you. And yet you…" She didn't finish her sentence, she was too upset.

"But it's your decision," Inuyasha shrugged, "If you want to go whoring around with him, then whatever." The miasma seemed to thicken around her, curtailing her vision. "It's too bad, maybe if you'd chosen me, your life would have been better... Or maybe if you'd just gone with that Naraku guy." He mocked.

Sesshoumaru was too busy with his own fight to hear Inuyasha's merciless words towards Kikyou. He had cornered Naraku into one of the castle walls. "It's over now, Naraku." Sesshoumaru spoke menacingly before lowering a poisonous claw right into Naraku's shoulder. The blow pierced through his skin, but much to Sesshoumaru's surprise, instead of being met by blood, he was met by the sound of clay shattering. Naraku was empty within.

"Looking for the Shikon Jewel? I'm afraid I don't have it," Naraku provoked, earning another slash from Sesshoumaru, shattering Naraku further into pieces.

"You're a puppet!" Sesshoumaru realized, "Then the jewel is…" A sacred arrow whizzed past them, clearing a lot of the dense miasma.

"I told you to take better care of Kikyou." The puppet laughed before disintegrating into dust. A shocked scream and then a pained feminine grunt came in answer to Sesshoumaru's suspicions. He was off in the direction of the sounds. He growled at the sight of Inuyasha's inconspicuous red-clothed back and aimed at the left shoulder before Inuyasha could escape. Like Sesshoumaru had suspected, the Shikon jewel popped right out, falling on the ground next to where he distinguished Kikyou was lying on the ground. He saw her clutch at it weakly.

"Damn you Inuyasha! Damn you!" The woman cursed meekly, straining to stand up. Sesshoumaru wasted no time in jumping beside her, kneeling down to examine what had left her so weak. His eyes widened at the sight. She was bleeding profusely from her shoulder, where he saw that his kimono was ripped in the shape of slash marks. The woman trembled in fresh and unbearable pain; panting to keep herself from tearing up from the raw stinging sensation.

"Doesn't Kikyou look so pretty stained with blood?" Inuyasha licked at his claws, "Mmm, tastes so sweet too…" Sesshoumaru's eyes reddened, like the color of the blood that gushed from Kikyou's wound. "Why so silent, _big brother_?"

'_This bastard… He carries Inuyasha's outward scent, but this is definitely not the smell of his blood. It's the smell of Naraku's blood.'_ Sesshoumaru thought, at the verge of transformation. Without warning, his face lengthened and developed a dog-like muzzle. The stripes on his cheeks distorted into jagged lines and in an instant, what once was the humanoid Sesshoumaru was a giant white dog.

"Whoa! Is that Sesshoumaru?!" Kaede cried from next to Jaken.

"Yup, that's his true form." Jaken proclaimed proudly. "Naraku and Inuyasha are in deep trouble now!"

From her spot on the floor, Kikyou also witnessed Sesshoumaru's transformation in awe. "Sesshoumaru… What a beautiful sight…" She sputtered out, admiring the gargantuan muscular dog.

Inuyasha, or rather Naraku in Inuyasha's form, gasped at the enormous dog towering over him. He had never expected Sesshoumaru to have an even mightier form. _'I cannot take on Sesshoumaru without the jewel. I should have killed him when I first wished upon the jewel, damn it all. No matter, Kikyou will use the jewel to keep her life, and then I'll come back for her again. For now, I shall retreat.'_ Naraku reasoned, letting another round of thick miasma obscure his traces as he ran away. Sesshoumaru was about to follow after the scum that had dared to mar Kikyou, but at Kikyou's heavy breathing and a worried cry from Kaede, he decided that his hunt could wait and transformed back into the human-like demon Kikyou had always known him as. He sprinted across the distance that separated him from the battered priestess on the floor.

"I suppose that was your true form." Kikyou commented, her voice coming out from between strained breaths. "What a majestic display…"

"Save your energy," Sesshoumaru ordained, kneeling down beside her, "At least until we get you to a human doctor." He affirmed much more gently, studying the nasty claw marks Inuyasha – no, Naraku – had left behind. The deep lacerations extended from her left shoulder to the middle of the small of her back. He stared on pityingly as the young woman clawed at the dirt on the ground, remembering when the situations had been reserved and he had been the one in excruciating pain.

"Sesshoumaru, I am a priestess – a doctor of sorts. Even I know," She paused to hack up blood, "Even I know my end is near."

"I will not allow you to die. Did you not commit it to memory when I said I would not let a mediocre demon kill you?" Sesshoumaru scoffed, dismissing her idea of impending death.

"Yes. You said that if a demon were to kill me, it'd be you." She laughed feebly, pushing herself up from her position on the floor, trembling violently all the while. The priestess was about to fall over in her weakness, but Sesshoumaru brought her to his lap before she could collapse. "I'm not dead yet. You could kill me now." She said half-jokingly, half-seriously.

"You fool…" He admonished, staring hardly at the rasping woman in his hold, "Your life is mine, Kikyou, but that does not mean I wish to take it." He spoke, his stony stare softening to meet her doleful brown orbs.

"If you keep saying things like that, Sesshoumaru, I'm afraid it'll be harder for me to go."

"Damn right it will be harder for you to go. I already said I wouldn't let you die, you stubborn woman." Sesshoumaru reiterated, letting his tone become harsher, as if to reprimand her.

"Forgive me, Sesshoumaru, I was never one to bend to other's wills easily." She apologized, albeit with an infliction of cynicism that was commonplace in those who faced death. "But… thank you… Your words make me happy." The girl gave him a wan smile, sending a jolt all the way down to Sesshoumaru's core.

"I said your life was mine, and yet here you are, dying by another man's hand." Sesshoumaru spat angrily, "I've failed."

"Don't blame yourself for my stupidity. I probably deserved this." Kikyou whispered miserably, "He was right. I am tainted by blood. The blood of demons, humans, and my sister. I am a terrible priestess." The tears that had been flooding her eyes finally began to stream down her countenance, mixing in with the dirt and the random splatters of crimson blood on her face. "Perhaps my gravest mistake; however, was you, Sesshoumaru."

"Do you regret ever meeting me?" Sesshoumaru asked, trying to mask his tone with more iciness, but it was useless; anybody who'd ever known him for more than a day would be able to detect the ever so slight softness to it – the undeniable edge of hurt that resounded in it.

"You may be my worst mistake, but that does not mean I regret it." The woman choked on her words. "No, I don't regret meeting you. I don't regret… loving you." She finally confessed, letting a genuine smile grace her doll-like features amidst the tears. "I've spent all of my life in a bird cage. When I was a child, I was always told that I'd be a great priestess when I grew; that I possessed enormous spiritual power and thus presented great potential. The priest who took me under his wing would train me hard each and every day. While I was stuck in my bird cage, I'd watch the village children run around and play. I wanted to open the door and join them, but the priest had always kept it shut." The tragic miko recounted, "When I grew up and became a powerful priestess, the children had grown up too. From my place in the cage, I'd observed them silently as they went about their days; courting and gossiping. The priest had gone, but still I could not leave. The Shikon Jewel kept the door firmly shut. I could not frolic with the rest of the humans – I could not love or hate or cry, even though deep inside I was always so sad. I was born in the bird cage, and I was fated to die in the bird cage. But then I met you, Sesshoumaru, and you opened the bird cage. I am finally free." Kikyou finished, gazing into Sesshoumaru's blazing gold eyes.

Speechless, the royal demon met her gaze with his glazed-over honey eyes and placed his pale hand on her pallid cheek.

"Isn't it funny that my last moments of life are my happiest?" Kikyou continued with that enigmatic smile on her face, mystifying Sesshoumaru with her puzzling words.

"I don't find any humor in the situation." Sesshoumaru retorted, "You stupid girl, why are you so resigned to die? If I've set you free, then why do you wish to die? Wouldn't you then be returning to the bird cage you so described?"

"Yes, I suppose you're right. I would be returning to my fate. I must take the Shikon jewel with me to the underworld. You've set me free for a while, Sesshoumaru, and I am deeply grateful for that. But I must always go back." The moribund woman finalized, "It is my fate."

"One makes their own fate, Kikyou. Change your fate and –"

"And live with you? Would you truly give up your demon pride for this human? It is better if you do not answer that. If you say no, it'd break my heart. If you say yes, it'd break my heart even more." Kikyou interrupted his sentence. "I would rather not know." She said, biting her lip as she tried to stop her tears.

'_I will not let her have a choice.' _Sesshoumaru thought as his free hand brushed against Tenseiga's hilt.

"Kikyou!" Kaede's voice pierced through the tension between the couple. "Big sister, we must tend to your wounds!" The child visibly paled at the sight of the elder girl's mangled body. Blood still seeped from the terrible wound at an alarming rate, sending warning signals through all of their heads – Kaede's, Sesshoumaru's, and even Jaken's, whom had trotted behind Kaede to witness the sight. "We must hurry!" Kaede urged Sesshoumaru.

"No, Kaede, my time is over." Kikyou turned her soulful gaze to her sister, arresting the flow of her tears to appear calm – to motivate her younger sister from caving in to her sorrow. "I'm sorry, Kaede, for bringing forth such sorrow upon you. A new challenge awaits you, and you must be strong and overcome it."

"No, Kikyou, don't die. Don't leave me here alone!" Kaede spewed out the tears that Kikyou held for the little girl's sake from her singular eye. "You'll revive her with Tenseiga, right Sesshoumaru?!" The girl looked into the demon's eyes pleadingly.

"It is best if I go. If I continue to live, the jewel shall continue to be sought, shall continue bringing danger to you, Kaede, along with all the villagers. I have failed you more than once. I must take the jewel with me to the afterlife."

"And how do you plan to do that?! Stubborn woman, why can't you just live?!" Jaken raised his voice from behind Kaede, obviously altered by the woman's dying state.

"Because if I do, the jewel will only bring more misfortune. I am its guardian and I shall bring it with me to my death!" The woman asserted, clutching at the resplendent pink pearl. "Listen to me well, Kaede. After my death, you must burn my body along with the jewel. It will never fall into the hands of evil ever again!"

"Are you really going to choose your duty over me?" Sesshoumaru voiced sharply, glaring at the priestess who lay propped up on his knee. "Over this Sesshoumaru?"

"I can never be free if the jewel exists. I would never make anyone happy, not with this cursed pearl." The woman's voice cracked, the tears she had held back for her sister threatening to break free from the confines of her eyes again. "I should be dead by now, I'm sure you know. The jewel is extending my lifespan, but I cannot stall my death for long. I must go now."

"No, wait, big sister please!" Kaede hiccupped in her sorrow, burying her face in Kikyou's chest, like she had done so many times before when she had been scared. Kikyou was her big sister, her friend, her mother, and the knowledge that she may lose all she's ever known scares Kaede more than any demon ever could. "Don't leave me alone…"

"I am sorry, little sister." Kikyou mustered up strength to stroke her younger sister's tearful face. Kikyou then turned her gaze to Sesshoumaru's sun-tinted eyes.

"Don't look at me like that." Sesshoumaru said through gritted teeth, his countenance marred by the downward tilt of his dark eyebrows and his protruding fangs. "I won't let you die." He insisted, letting his tone lose its steel edge. Seeing his lord's grief splayed on his face, Jaken tugged at the little girl's kimono, beckoning her to leave the lovers to themselves. She followed the little imp dejectedly.

"You must let me go, Sesshoumaru, it's the only way."

"I was never one to bend to other's wills." Sesshoumaru threw back her words, "I will revive you with Tenseiga."

'_The Shikon Jewel… is pulsing, as if in protest. Do you want me to die? Or are you begging me to make a wish, so you can continue to exist?' _Kikyou pondered at the strange tingling coming from the jewel, never losing sight of Sesshoumaru's dazzling sun eyes. An alarmed sigh escaped her lips as she realized that all else but Sesshoumaru's blazing eyes began to dim. Sesshoumaru could smell, could feel her imminent death, thus he lowered her down gently so that she lay on the ground so that he could stand. "It's useless." Kikyou weakly expelled, staring up at him with molten brown eyes. He ignored what he considered to be pessimistic jabber, and unsheathed Tenseiga against her words of complaint.

"The imps of the underworld… Where are they?!" Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered around, trying to spot the little imps he had seen when he had revived Kaede – the imps he needed to slay in order to save the woman from the clutches of death. '_Last time, before the girl had completely died, Tenseiga was pulsating madly at my hip, but now, there is nothing. Tenseiga, what does this mean?'_

"I told you it was useless…" Kikyou muttered, bringing him out from his confused cogitation. He knelt down again beside her recumbent position.

"But… why? What do you know, miko?" He pressed, plucking a stray hair that had stuck to her face and putting a hand to the clammy skin of the back of her neck, aiming to elevate her head. In response the woman gave him a despondent frown.

"The light at the end of the tunnel… It's your eye…" The woman rasped, her eyes dimming considerably. "Fare…well… Sesshoumaru."

The demon wasted no time in unsheathing his father's heirloom once again, only to be met with the same scene - a motionless Kikyou lying in the semi-grassy ground, free of the devilish imps from the netherworld.

"Big sister!" Kaede cried out hysterically, running to her sister's limp form, "Big sister!" The child embraced the older woman's immobile body, laying her face in the crook of her frosty neck, smearing herself in her sister's blood.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, she's still dead… But isn't Tenseiga supposed to bring her back…?" Jaken asked somberly from his lord's side. Sesshoumaru's only answer was to drop the sword onto the ground as he, for the first time since Jaken had been in his service, bent his head down, letting his wispy bangs cover his face with their shadows in what Jaken assumed was a gesture of sorrow. The only sound emanated from Kaede, who still lay sobbing by her sister's side.

'_Tenseiga… what use are you if you cannot even save her life?' _Sesshoumaru thought, his anger boiling at the slab of metal lying uselessly on the ground, '_Why bestow me with such a faulty piece of trash, Father?'_

"Move." Sesshoumaru instructed the child cradled to Kikyou's corpse coldly.

"No!" Kaede rejected in between her sould-raking sobs, but Sesshoumaru was having none of that; he was not in the mood to deal with any obtuseness.

"You wish for your sister's cadaver to be taken to your village, don't you?" Sesshoumaru inquired sharply, not paying heed to the younger girl's steady stream of tears.

"Oh, y-yes." Kaede agreed morosely, obediently moving out of the way as Sesshoumaru hitched Kikyou up into his arms, not wasting any time as he sauntered back to where his faithful dragon stood.

"Wait, m'lord, what of Tenseiga?!" Jaken hollered in question.

"I have no need for that worthless piece of metal." Sesshoumaru retorted. _'Tenseiga failed to bring back the only person I will ever care to save. I have no need for it. Tenseiga, just when I thought you were worthy… Hmph, Tetsusaiga will always be the better sword. Father why did you hide Tetsusaiga from me?' _Sesshoumaru thought rancorously as he continued to march towards where the clearing became forest.

"W-What are you doing?!" Jaken brought attention to Kaede, who without anybody's permission, picked Tenseiga from the ground and hugged it within her arms with difficulty; the blade, was, after all, as long as she was.

"Just in case Tenseiga decides to work again!" Kaede explained herself; the saltine crystals from her eyes still did not cease, but she willed up enough bravado to disobey Sesshoumaru's unspoken command. Sesshoumaru had heard Kaede's words and knew she carried his father's blade, but his state of mind was far too concentrated on his tumultuous mess of emotions, just threatening to spill out all over his usually frigid countenance. He was straining to hold his composure; to maintain that stony mask he swore he'd worn since birth.

'_This woman, Kikyou, is dead and yet, I grieve over her death? This human woman… She's changed me.' _Sesshoumaru let himself grit his teeth in pain, let himself demonstrate the weakness that washed over him. The weakness that he deemed made him hurt, that made him feel sorrow for Kikyou's death. Had his father's death affected him so much? He didn't remember, didn't _care _to remember, for all that was on his mind was Kikyou – fair, kind, compassionate Kikyou. The Kikyou who tolerated all those around her, whether human, demon, or half-breed. At one point, her saintliness had infuriated him; her selflessness – because he could not wrap his head around such a thing, to put others before himself. But as time had passed, he realized it was what drew him to her the most. Besides her beauty and her above average intelligence, her altruism had attracted him, simply because he could not understand it. He wanted to know more about it, about her, but at the sight of Kikyou's form, wilting like a once beautiful and very alive flower, he decided he hated it – her selfless sacrifices. It was because of her desire to help others, to protect them, that she lay dead and motionless like a too-pale alabaster doll.

He hated her, but there's a thin line between hate and love, so he loved her too.

Naraku would pay for daring to hurt her, to touch _his Kikyou._

Sesshoumaru didn't forgive those who dared to take away what belonged to him.

**XXX**

Sesshoumaru scrutinized Inuyasha from where the half-demon hung subdued by Kikyou's sealing arrow. It had been, after all, a cruel trick Naraku had utilized to disconcert both himself and the late Kikyou. The boy looked so peaceful in his slumber, so innocent of the crimes Naraku had tried to impose on him. Losing interest, Sesshoumaru turned his scrutiny to the entrance to the shrine, where he could distinguish a curled up orange lump.

"Oh, Sesshoumaru." Kaede greeted the demon lord mildly as he emerged from studying Inuyasha at Goshinboku near the shrine along with Jaken. "I suppose Tenseiga doesn't work today, either."

"No." Sesshoumaru tersely replied back, ignoring the emotionally exhausted little girl as he stepped towards where Kikyou's corpse lay on a newly built dais, awaiting her funeral. Kikyou was dressed back in her priestess garb, but the villagers and Kaede had all placed all types of beautiful flowers around the outline of their equally beautiful priestesses' body.

"Today is her funeral pyre then." Kaede sighed dismally, hugging her knees to her chest. The child had spent all her time brooding over her sister's unmoving figure, partly due to her worry that someone, namely Naraku, would try to steal her sister's carcass, but mostly because she lived with the hope that it was all just a bad dream and her sister would wake at any moment – very much alive. But it wasn't a dream; Kikyou was very dead.

Sesshoumaru stood next to the dais, leaning over the monument to peer into Kikyou's ashen complexion, to place a hand against her icy cheek, only to bring it down to where her still heart lay. Sesshoumaru and Kaede weren't that different; in fact, they were quite the same. They both still held on to the same lingering hope that Kikyou may magically reappear, alive and animate.

But it was a useless hope.

"Jaken, are you crying?" Kaede inquired, taking note of Jaken's teary eyes.

"N-No!" Jaken shrieked, hiding himself with the billowing brown sleeve of his kimono. _'I'm only showing Lord Sesshoumaru's pain, since he cannot do it himself!'_

**XXX**

The rain was unforgiving as it pounded down on Sesshoumaru's form, drenching him to the very bone. He was never one to venture into the rain purposely, but the dismal weather was perfect to obscure him from view. The tall taiyoukai did not wish to be seen by the humans, especially not that particularly stormy night. The tempest shielded him from human eyes, from eyes that could dare judge him for being weak, for bending to the traditions of mortals; and Sesshoumaru would not have anyone daring to entertain such a thought, even if it were true.

Pushing his paranoia away that someone might see his display of "weakness", as he would call it had it not applied to himself, the demon let his gaze fall upon the monument the men from the village had erected to serve as Kikyou's grave. Over the smell of soaked earth and ashes, he swore he caught a sliver of Kikyou's once glorious scent – the scent of blooming lavenders. He shook it off, tacking the explanation on to the bouquet of glistening indigo bellflowers held tightly in his hand.

"So it is you." A mellow female voice cut over the ruckus of the rain, interrupting Sesshoumaru as he bent down to place the beautiful bellflowers by Kikyou's grave. "It's been ten years since my big sister died, but without fail, every fortnight, I wake to find a vase full of freshly picked bellflowers by my sister's grave." A young woman dressed in priestess garments appeared from atop the shrine stairs, "And yet, no matter how hard I tried these past ten years to catch a glimpse at the stranger who so devoutly places flowers in my sister's resting place, I could never get a glance. I would always miss it. I must admit, for a while, I thought maybe those flowers were my sister's spirit: a manifestation of her soul, reminding me that she still lived, if only just in the heart of all those who cherished and loved her, myself and the villagers included."

"I see you've grown." Sesshoumaru duly acknowledged, sparing the grown Kaede a fleeting glance.

"And you haven't changed a bit." Kaede replied. "Yet both Kikyou and I have changed so much, wouldn't you say?"

"One is a pile of ash and the other only a shade of what her sister once was." Sesshoumaru scoffed cruelly, "You may carry a resemblance to her, but you are far too plain." He criticized, "A forgettable face."

"Aye, Kikyou was very beautiful." Kaede agreed without a trace of hurt, "I'm not unsightly, but I cannot hope to ever measure up to her. But perhaps that is for the best. It was her beauty that caused her so much misfortune, wouldn't you agree?"

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru concurred, remembering that it was her beauty – of both visage and spirit – that cost her life. That made Naraku, or rather Onigumo, lust for her in the first place. That had attracted Inuyasha. That had made him, Sesshoumaru, lose his right mind.

"May I inquire if you ever found Naraku?" Kaede asked, brushing aside a raven tendril of wet hair from her remaining eye – that very familiar brown eye.

"No, he's an evasive bastard." Sesshoumaru's tone lowered in anger at the mentioning of the name.

"Rumors say that you are in search of your great demon father's other fang. By the look on your face, I can assume it is true." Kaede chatted placidly. "Tenseiga does not satisfy you. Yet it was the blade that saved me so long ago."

"I've always been in search of it. That is why I first came to this cursed village. And I only saved you for your sister's sake, girl. Even in that, Tenseiga failed me. It saved you, but not Kikyou."

"I bet you wish that the situation had been reversed, that Tenseiga would have saved Kikyou but failed to save me." Kaede laughed sadly, "But unfortunately, life chose me."

Sesshoumaru returned to center his gaze back on the bellflowers, which sparkled as the clouds parted above to shine silver light on the lavender petals, causing them to sparkle like bejeweled ornaments.

"But even so, I want to thank you." Kaede began, her tone laced with a great melancholy, "for not forgetting my older sister. For gifting her with such beautiful flora every fortnight. I'm sure she appreciates it. I do. Thank you, Sesshoumaru."

"You always forget your place. Always referring to me as an equal. You're an insolent one," Sesshoumaru retorted cruelly, but softened his voice at his next words, "Just like your sister."

Kaede stared at him in subtle surprise, but she quickly replaced her dumbfounded look with a wan smile.

"Thank you." She whispered, feeling a strange warm breeze lift her drenched mass of black hair, as Sesshoumaru's soaked form began to retreat into the surrounding forest of the shrine.

He felt the same warm breeze ruffle the slick fringe that stuck to his forehead. The breeze uncovered the crescent moon that embellished his face, much like the cold wind of night had spread the clouds open just enough to reveal a sliver of the moon which in term illuminated his majestic form as he marched away into the darkness, away from Kikyou, once again.

The warm breeze faded and in its stead was the cold, harsh wind of the raging storm.

**XXX**

**Author's (SUPER IMPORTANT) notes: **This is NOT the end. I repeat: this is NOT the end.

And as to why Sesshoumaru did not get Bakusaiga: well, yes, he did learn compassion, among other things that his daddy wanted him to learn, so if anything, he should be able to learn Meidou Zangetsuha from Totosai, but he hasn't had any contact with him, so Totosai doesn't really know that Sesshoumaru learned compassion. But there are two things Sesshoumaru can't get over. One, he still covets Tetsusaiga and wants it more than he likes Tenseiga and two, he still hates his little brother Inuyasha. After all, he was planning on killing "Inuyasha" in this chapter (though he does stall, doesn't he?). If I remember correctly, it isn't until he gets over those two things that he can surpass his father. So yeah, that's my spiel on that.

And as for why Tenseiga could not save Kikyou; that is because her life was being held by the Shikon Jewel at the point that Sesshoumaru took out his sword. In the manga, Sesshoumaru's mum says Kohaku can't be revived because his life is held by his shard, and thus that's the same idea being used here. Kikyou is (unconsciously, sort of) choosing to elongate her life to say her goodbyes.

I hope you are not too angry, reader. But let me repeat this, THERE ARE TWO MORE CHAPTERS LEFT, and well, let's just say… The ending will make you happy. In a subtle way. Just have hope! (Keep in mind also, that this is strictly SessKik).

Your thoughts are always welcome! :)


	32. Transcending Time

**XXX**

**Chapter 32: Transcending Time**

**XXX**

Fifty years had gone by since Kikyou's death, and Sesshoumaru had gone back to his cold, misanthropic ways. Kikyou had been one-of-a-kind, Sesshoumaru had concluded, as all the humans he had met after her death were the pathetic creatures he had always known them to be - greedy, selfish beings.

He had stopped his ritual of dropping off bellflowers at the late priestess's grave, mostly due to the fact that the population of the village was flourishing. It was teeming with humans, and Sesshoumaru preferred to avoid the inquisitive little maggots whenever he could. Just because he stopped the custom of honoring Kikyou's grave with the human tradition of leaving flowers behind, it did not mean the dead woman ever left his memory. After half a century, the melancholy miko had pervaded in his thoughts. Perhaps not as often as when her death was more recent, but still, considering Sesshoumaru's aversion of the human race, he thought of her quite a bit, but it wasn't after meeting with Inuyasha again that he'd truly been affected by his thoughts of Kikyou, once again.

Before he had ever even met Kikyou, Sesshoumaru had been on a quest to find his father's grave – to find Tetsusaiga, but he had temporarily halted his journey when the solitary priestess had piqued his interest. After her death, he had returned to his fervent search for his father's famed fang, mostly to take his troubled mind off the incident that had taken Kikyou's precious life. It wasn't until Jaken had suggested asking a newly-awakened Inuyasha for Tetsusaiga's whereabouts that Sesshoumaru learned of the rumors surrounding Inuyasha's reappearance in the world of the living. Kikyou had very explicitly stated that Inuyasha could not be free unless she willed it so, but the woman was dead, and that, along with Sesshoumaru's suspicions that Inuyasha may have known something about his father's resting place, caused Sesshoumaru enough curiosity to pursue his halfling whelp of a little brother.

Sesshoumaru wasn't surprised to find his little brother hanging around the same village he had been sealed in. What did surprise him; however, was his half-brother's company.

"Kikyou…" Sesshoumaru whispered from atop the huge ogre he was perched on, which he had used to make a gaudy entrance. Behind Inuyasha, there was Kikyou, staring up at the tall figure upon the ogre questioningly. She had the same mahogany eyes, the same glossy raven hair, and the same lithe body. How was it that the priestess was alive again? Why was _his_ Kikyou hanging around with Inuyasha and not him? And most importantly, why was she dressed in such ludicrous attire? The oddly-shaped navy blue kimono shirt and too short skirt was not suitable apparel for any respectable woman, especially not his Kikyou.

Upon closer inspection, Sesshoumaru discovered subtle, but major differences between the young woman who stood by Inuyasha's side and the late Kikyou. The girl, Kagome, as he had heard Inuyasha holler at her, indeed did have the same fawn eyes, but hers were more expressive than Kikyou's guarded browns, and shone with anger, sadness, and happiness, while Kikyou's gaze only ever carried a trace of melancholy. Kagome had Kikyou's unblemished skin, but in a shade darker than the dead woman's; she was not as pale as Kikyou had been. The girl's hair was as stark as Kikyou's long locks of black had been, but Kagome's hair was more voluminous, more rebellious, and more bouncy. The girl was no doubt very pretty, but in Sesshoumaru's opinion, Kikyou – even with her common black hair and brown eyes - would always be the most beautiful mortal he'd ever set eyes upon.

"Why does he look at me like that, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru had caught Kikyou – no, Kagome - questioningly whisper to Inuyasha. "He kind of looks at me like you do."

"Don't worry 'bout it, Kagome." Inuyasha had gruffly dismissed, probably not wanting to relate the hurtful events from so long ago.

"It is just like you, Inuyasha, to conform to a cheap replacement." Sesshoumaru mocked hatefully, sending Inuyasha on a cursing spree and alighting Kagome's face first with confusion and then with anger.

"Who are you calling cheap?!" She fired at him indignantly, placing her hands on her hips in anger. Although different in their approach, the girl carried the same fire – the same dignity Kikyou had once showed him.

But alas, the battle with Inuyasha ended in an armless and sword-less Sesshoumaru.

"Granny Kaede, Sesshoumaru referred to me as a 'cheap replacement'. What nerve! That is no way to talk to a girl!" Kagome had angrily recounted to Kaede, who looked on at the girl with slight amusement.

"Ah, that sounds like something he'd say." Kaede laughed lowly.

"Wait, so you know him too, granny?" Kagome inquired. "Now that I think about it, did he know Kikyou as well?"

"You can say that," Inuyasha snorted grumpily from his position lounging on the floor.

"Were they enemies?" Kagome wondered, "But at first, it didn't seem like he was staring at me with hate…"

"Would you shut up and stop asking stupid questions! What does it matter what that bastard thinks or thought?" Inuyasha suddenly burst out, standing up and exiting the hut in anger. Kagome looked for a response from Kaede, but at the brash half-demon's spectacle, the wizened Kaede knew better than to reveal her sister's past with the half-brothers.

**XXX**

A few days later, after completely healing from Inuyasha's lucky strike with Tetsusaiga, Sesshoumaru was back in the village, hovering over Kikyou's tombstone. Kagome's eerie resemblance to Kikyou had unnerved him greatly, and the nostalgic feeling was more powerful than the humiliation he felt at being (temporarily) beaten by Inuyasha.

He briefly pondered the possibility that perhaps Kikyou's little sister had left behind her role as priestess to settle down and have a family. As if in answer, the old lady who had once been Kikyou's youthful sibling came out to greet him.

"You've met Kagome, have you not? That is what brings you here, I presume." Kaede inquired. Sesshoumaru turned to face the once-child half-heartedly, befuddled to see her still in her priestess garb, old and wrinkled, disproving his earlier theory about Kaede producing offspring.

"Who is that girl? Is she of your kin?" Sesshoumaru replied with a question of his own, genuinely curious.

"No. I was as astounded as you are, but I am now quite sure that she is my sister's reincarnation." Kaede answered, "She appeared here, from the Bone-Eater's well, along with the Shikon Jewel. It popped right out of her stomach when a demon injured her there. Also, she was able to release Inuyasha from the seal. There are no doubts in my mind; the girl is my sister, reincarnated."

"Reincarnation? Appeared from the well?" Sesshoumaru asked aloud, terribly confused by the whole ordeal. Did humans typically come out of wells?

"She says she traveled through time, that she ended up in the past, and that she's from the future. She explains that that is why she dresses and talks so strangely." Kaede further elaborated, gaining a skeptical stare from the tall demon standing in front of Kikyou's grave. "The girl that transcends time. Indeed, it is very bizarre. It is a little hard to swallow."

"Then the Shikon Jewel is back."

"Yes, albeit in fragments. Kagome accidentally shattered it when she aimed an arrow at a demon. She doesn't exactly possess my sister's grace, or her quick wit, but do not doubt it. Kikyou and Kagome are one and the same." Kaede sighed wistfully.

"Hmmph, so it seems." Sesshoumaru scoffed.

"So what will you do, Sesshoumaru?" Kaede asked curiously, furrowing her eyebrows, creating further wrinkles to her wilted face. "Will you pursue her?"

"And why would I do that? She is none of my concern."

"She is Kikyou. Physically and spiritually. Did you not have feelings for my sister? Kagome is Kikyou, this could be your chance to reunite with her once again. She possesses the same soul." Kaede explained.

"Stop spewing nonsense, you senile fool. This reincarnation is of no interest to me. She is not Kikyou, nor can she ever hope to be. I am not like Inuyasha, I do not settle for leftovers. Especially not for a faulty substitute." Sesshoumaru scorned the old lady, aghast that she had the gall to suggest such an appalling idea. "She is not _my _Kikyou." He whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Aye, you're right. She is Kikyou, but she is not Kikyou." Kaede realized, agreeing with Sesshoumaru's true, but harsh words.

Sesshoumaru scoffed out in offense before stalking off into Inuyasha's forest, leaving the old lady behind to contemplate the cold words he had uttered spitefully at her.

**XXX**

It was sometime later, after another humiliating battle with Inuyasha, that Sesshoumaru met Rin; the girl he had at first thought was a mute. Though initially he had rejected the little girl as another "despicable" human, he soon learned that she was far from "despicable". The child had persistently tried to feed him, to nurse him back to health, as useless as it had been, since never once did Sesshoumaru touch the food the child brought. She had risked herself to the point of getting beaten for it, by who he presumed was the humans from her village. Her devotion to help him, despite his scoffs and reprimands, reminded him very much of a certain tenacious priestess who had once tended to him. The memory almost made his lips twitch. Almost.

Once his wounds had healed, the demon took his leave without bidding farewell to the tiny little eight-year-old. However, fate had put her in his path once again; except she was dead, mauled by wolves, by the sight and smell of it. Tenseiga had called to him then, had pulsed wildly at his side until he revived the child, like he had once done to Kaede. He felt his logic lapse again, like so many years before, when he let the exuberant child follow him everywhere. On multiple occasions, the child slowed him down, and always seemed to get herself in trouble, but despite that, he'd come to her rescue every single time, and he'd let her stay with him too. After fifty years, he'd thought he'd learned his lesson; he thought he'd learned that allowing a human to worm their way to his frozen heart would always bring trouble, but he couldn't stop himself, before he knew it, he felt the need to protect the innocent child from all the world's evils.

It was one day when Inuyasha blatantly accused Sesshoumaru of treachery that the demon lord found out about Naraku's reappearance.

"Sesshoumaru! Why didn't you tell me anything?!" Inuyasha had spat at his elder brother vehemently. "Why didn't you tell me Naraku had set me up to cause pain to Kikyou?!"

"That old geezer Kaede told you the truth, did she? You should have figured that out by yourself, Inuyasha. It is not my problem that you were too stupid to see that yourself." Sesshoumaru had unmercifully replied.

"And why didn't you tell Kikyou it was not me?! She died, believing that I had killed her!" Inuyasha hollered angrily, "Thinking that I had betrayed her… She died hating me!" Inuyasha looked on the verge of tears, and to many, that would cause feelings of pity to stir up, but Sesshoumaru felt no such thing. He blamed Inuyasha for Kikyou's premature death, because if Inuyasha had just taken a moment to think, he wouldn't have taken the jewel, he would have seen through Naraku's guise. Then Sesshoumaru would never have been left temporarily weak in a human body, thus he never would have allowed Kikyou to be kidnapped by Naraku, hence the priestess would have never died. If anything, Inuyasha's vexation and his accusations only served to further tick off the irritable dog demon.

"Inuyasha, you little fool, I will not tolerate your idiotic remarks. You were the last thing on my mind when she died!" Sesshoumaru sharply admonished.

"But it wasn't fair! Kikyou died feeling bitterness at Inuyasha's supposed betrayal! She died suffering! She had every right to know that it was all Naraku!" Kikyou's reincarnation dared to speak against Sesshoumaru; dared to raise her voice at him, but he could see through that false bravado she attacked him with, could see the hurt written all over her expressive earth-browns. The girl tried to piously defend the dead woman, Kikyou, but Sesshoumaru was no fool. The girl loved his worthless half-brother and he knew that Inuyasha's affectation pained her. Because it was Kikyou that almost brought tears to his eyes, not her. "She's still in pain, y'know?"

"Kagome," Inuyasha softly interjected, not letting the fired-up remnant of Kikyou finish her sentiments. "That's enough." The sadness practically dripped from his voice.

"But Inuya-"

"Lady Kagome, perhaps it is best to listen to Inuyasha." The rogue-ish monk lurking close behind advised; the taijiya and the fox demon to his side nodded in agreement.

Sesshoumaru ignored the girl's brash words and instead turned to leave, but not before declaring confidently, "I shall be the one to kill Naraku. Now that he's shown himself once again, it shall be easy enough to dispatch of him."

"Now you wait a minute! I've got a score to settle too, and I'm not about to let you take all the credit for it. Hell no!"

"Sit boy!" Kagome cried out before Inuyasha could brazenly set off to attack his much stronger elder brother.

"Please, Inuyasha. You can barely handle a mere human girl. Much less can you handle Naraku." Sesshoumaru mocked, temporarily halting his procession before continuing on with his leave.

"Geez, what's his deal?" Shippo complained to the rest of the Inu-tachi. "Why is he so set on killing Naraku? It's not like he's looking for vengeance, or is he?"

"Inuyasha, I don't think Sesshoumaru knows Kikyou has been resurrected. Shouldn't we have said something?" Kagome pressed.

"I feel like there's something both of you are not letting on." The demon slayer, Sango, commented, sending a scrutinizing glance Inuyasha's way. "What role did Sesshoumaru play in Kikyou's death? What was his relationship to her?"

"And why do you want to hide her existence from him?" Miroku, the strapping young monk, asked the question that sent Inuyasha over the edge as he let out an annoyed growl and wandered off on his own to sulk, presumably back to the outskirts of Kaede's village.

"Since Inuyasha doesn't want to answer us, I say we ask Kaede. She seems to know something too…" Kagome suggested wearily, fearing that she already knew the answer.

**XXX**

"Lady Kaede, can you please tell us what in the world happened fifty years ago?" Miroku was the one to ask the older woman, whom had been picking herbs before the entire group, sans Inuyasha, came to her with their queries.

After hearing out the group of youngsters, Kaede gnawed on her lower lip before deciding that the best course of action was to tell the truth. "It was a long time ago, yet I still remember it like it was yesterday," The shriveled old woman began in a nostalgic tone, "I assume Inuyasha does not want Sesshoumaru to know Kikyou ambles about the earth once again because he is jealous."

"Jealous? But that doesn't make any sense, why would he be jealous?" It was the childish Shippo who inquired.

"Well, because Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were once rivals in love." Kaede answered bluntly, hitting the group with a sack of rocks with her unexpected words. "You've heard me correctly. Though Sesshoumaru would never admit it directly, he once held feelings for my sister, just as Inuyasha did." Kaede then began to recount the tragic tale of love from so long ago, skipping over the details she was sure neither Kikyou nor Inuyasha nor Sesshoumaru would appreciate if she divulged to the curious group of adolescents.

"That explains a lot." Miroku commented, after hearing out the entirety of Kaede's story, "But then why doesn't he seem to hold any interest in Lady Kagome? Everyone else has."

"Well, to him, Kagome is not Kikyou." Kaede replied honestly, recalling of their conversation by her sister's grave. "Naraku doesn't seem to hesitate to hurt Kagome hurt either, so I can only assume he feels the same."

"So, all this time, Sesshoumaru's suffered too?" Kagome asked absently, feeling tears well up in her eyes at such a woeful tale of forbidden love. "But why hasn't Kikyou gone to visit him?"

"I am sure my sister is ashamed of what she has become." Kaede guessed wisely, letting her story fully settle itself among the flabbergasted youths.

**XXX**

After learning of Naraku's reappearance, Sesshoumaru juggled his desire for Tetsusaiga, which had been unfairly entrusted to the whelp, Inuyasha, and his bloodlust for Naraku. It wasn't until the contemptible spider demon dared to take Rin as a hostage in order to absorb Sesshoumaru's demonic power that the golden-eyed demon dropped his determination to acquire his father's deadly fang to begin to hunt Naraku fulltime. Since Inuyasha had inherited Tetsusaiga, Sesshoumaru decided to commission Totosai, his father's personal sword smith, to forge him his own blade – the Tokijin. When the impudent vermin refused him, he searched for the expertise of another, and soon he had a perilous blade in his possession.

"Master Jaken, is it okay if I go further upstream? There may be more fish there…" Rin asked coyly, knee deep in the stream. Sesshoumaru had left the girl in Jaken's care while he did who-knows-what. Sesshoumaru was never one to explain his disappearances, especially not to his devout imp servant or his young human ward.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll come with you." Jaken consented.

"No, Master Jaken! You should stay here in case the fish change their minds and decide to come here!" Rin exclaimed using her childish rationale. "I won't be far, I promise." Jaken grunted but decided to go along with her logical fallacy, if only to keep her quiet.

"Take Ah-Un, just in case." Jaken brushed off, staying in his spot in the shallow river water. Rin waded out and stepped onto the riverbank.

"Okay!" Rin chirped, beckoning the two-headed dragon to follow her as she skipped away from Jaken, going the opposite direction of the current. "Well, since you're with me, Ah-Un, how about we go a little further? Master Jaken won't notice anyway." The girl mischievously smiled up at the dragon, who in turn only grunted, as if in agreement. The girl trotted carefully up the slight incline, not letting the stray rocks or the slope hinder her advance. "Whoa, what's that?" The girl asked aloud as a glowing white creature slithered past her cheek. "They look like snakes... But they've got little wings and they glow… Snake fireflies?" The girl pondered as the white creatures flew past her and continued upstream. Entranced, the child began to aimlessly follow them – the "snake fireflies". After continuing to travel for a while, the girl finally came to a halt where the stream connected to a little lake and converged into a rumbling waterfall. "Ah-Un, wait here! We might scare her." The little girl whispered cautiously as she approached the figure standing waist deep in the little lake.

"Wow…" Rin murmured underneath her breath, standing at the bank of the shallow lake. A solitary woman stood at the middle of the it, her eyes were closed, but all around, the snake-fireflies danced around her, releasing twinkling blue lights to be absorbed by her feminine body. It was still only early evening, but the trees all around cast a dark shade, which caused the woman's pale skin to reflect the azure light of the glimmering blue will-o'-the wisps. Never before had Rin gazed upon a more ethereal sight.

The woman came to suddenly, sending Rin to reel backwards in subtle shock. The woman gasped, surprised to see the young child staring at her in awe.

"What a beautiful priestess!" Rin exclaimed dazedly after she finally regained her composure. "My name is Rin!"

"H-Hello Rin. It's nice to meet you… Are you not afraid of me?" The woman asked softly, taken aback by the child's cheery disposition, despite the eerie creatures whirling around the waterfall.

"Huh? No way. You're so beautiful, Lady priestess!" Rin negated as a soul-stealer whizzed past her, tickling her. "And I've got demon friends too, so they don't scare me!" The child added, brandishing a toothy smile. "What's your name, Lady Priestess?" She asked politely.

"Oh, it's Kikyou." The woman answered, still startled, but warming up to the child as she began to wade out of the water to greet Rin.

"What a pretty name! Were you bathing, Lady Kikyou?" Rin asked, taking note of the older girl's drenched mass of stark raven hair and the wet garments that stuck to her like a second skin.

"Something of the sort," Kikyou conceded, kneeling down in front of the merry little girl and giving her a pretty smile, "But tell me, Rin, do your parents know you're here?"

"I don't have parents. They died a long time ago. My lord takes care of me now, though!" Rin piped, happy to mention her great Lord Sesshoumaru, "His name is –"

"Rin!" Jaken's voice interrupted Rin's further revelation. The two girls turned their head in the direction of the squawky voice.

"Oh, speaking of him, there he is! Good evening Lord Sesshoumaru!" The little girl skipped towards the tall, lean dog demon that stood aghast a few paces behind them. "What's the matter, Master Jaken? You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

"Aye, I think I have." Jaken admitted, leaning on his staff to keep himself from fainting.

"Jaken, take Rin and Ah-Un out of here." Sesshoumaru ordered, his eyes still widened at the sight. "Who or what are you?" Sesshoumaru suspiciously questioned as soon as the imp and human child disappeared from view.

"Exactly what it looks like. I am Kikyou, reborn." The woman replied tersely, extending a hand for one of her soul stealers to perch on.

"Yet you smell like grave soil." Sesshoumaru gravely commented, flitting his eyes from one shinidamachuu to another shinidamachuu. "What are these creatures?"

"Shinidamachuu. They bring me souls, so I can walk upon the earth."

"Souls?"

"Yes, they animate my fake body." Kikyou spoke darkly, setting her even darker gaze upon his golden one. She stood up finally, staring coldly at him all the while, like a ghost rising from the grave. He felt his breathing quicken and his chest tighten at her tantalizing rise, at her smoldering ice stare. "I was resurrected by the witch, Urasue. However, I was but a pile of ashes, so she constructed this false body made of clay. She was planning to use me to find the Shikon shards, the wretch."

"And you need souls why?"

"You've met my reincarnation, I presume. Kagome. She carries most of my soul. All I am left with is my hatred and bitterness, and thus I must supply my clay body with the souls of dead women."

"Are you truly so bitter, Kikyou?" Sesshoumaru asked sullenly, "Your interaction with Rin says otherwise. Yet you look upon me, and it is different."

"My eternal sleep was disrupted and I awoke to the sight of Inuyasha, who I believed had been my murderer. I was very bitter. At first, my only desire was to kill him and Naraku so that I may return to the dead. I found out; however, that it had all been Naraku, and now I continue to persist in the world of the living so that I may exact my revenge upon him." Kikyou explained, her expression vacant; her face as white as death. The Kikyou before him was but a shell of the woman he'd let his logic lapse for so many years before. Her empty stare unnerved him. Had she really been consumed by her hatred? Was that all that was left in the husk of her false body?

Sesshoumaru let his hand travel to the hilt of Tenseiga, ever so slowly, so as to not cause the woman alarm, but to no avail, the woman traced the movement of his clawed hand, but said nothing as he unsheathed the healing sword from its scabbard. He pointed the sword at her, staring long and hard into her ochre eyes, trying to find a vestige of the kind, caring woman she was before. He was met with coldness. Death had changed her.

"If you use that sword on me, my reincarnation will die." Kikyou stared at him, finally baring an emotion akin to sadness in her eyes.

"What do I care? Let her die, she is of no concern to me. I only want you. Everyone else be damned." Sesshoumaru spoke in an affected tone, tightly clutching Tenseiga. Would bringing her back with Tenseiga bring back the selfless priestess from before her death?

"But I do. Changed as I may be, I am not a monster." She spoke sharply, pushing away Tenseiga with a slender white hand. "Once upon a time, in my bitterness, I may have accepted, but the girl does not deserve it. Nor does Inuyasha, who has found some semblance of happiness with her. That girl will fill my place in this world, and I do not intend to disrupt it." Kikyou explained softly, the sigh of her words tickling Sesshoumaru's ears. He searched her face thoroughly, and found the same woman he'd longed for fifty years ago, once again. "And besides, why would I want to live again, in this makeshift body made of ashes and clay?"

"That girl will never fill your place in this world. At least not the place you fill in my life." Sesshoumaru continued, stepping closer to his past lover.

"There is nothing to be done. I shall kill Naraku and then I shall die." Kikyou tried to put space between them, but Sesshoumaru's arm shot out to grab her dainty left shoulder, prohibiting further movement. "Please let me go." Kikyou stared up at him pleadingly, mournfully. Her body gave off no heat – the shell that housed her many souls was as cold as the chilly evening air. His Kikyou was no more. He let her go.

"Leave him to me." Sesshoumaru finally spoke after a moment of uneasy silence. "I shall kill him for you, and then you'd be free, right?"

"A mere sword cannot kill Naraku. He needs to be purified." Kikyou reasoned, her stony façade returning to hide the moment of yearning.

"Then let us destroy him." Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist with his singular hand, forgetting the unsettling coldness from her cool skin.

"It is best if we don't, Sesshoumaru. It is best we go our own ways. I do not wish to get my hopes up, to let myself believe this false existence could make me happy. Being with you would only sway me from my goals." Kikyou enlightened, giving him the crestfallen smile that had once taken his breath away. "I am but a mockery… a shade of the woman I used to be. My false body – this forsaken clay body – cannot bring joy to anyone. Not myself, and certainly not to you." If her clay body could conjure up tears, she would have broken down then and there.

"Stubborn woman." Sesshoumaru unhanded her, letting his bangs obscure his troubled gaze, knowing it was true.

"By the way," Kikyou composed herself, changing the subject, "What happened to your right arm?" She asked, boldly procuring the silken sleeve that had once housed his powerful right bicep. Absently, she tenderly ran her fingers along the fine fabric, staring at him sadly, knowing that it had once hurt him, and had left both a physical scar and a mental scar.

"Inuyasha severed it with father's sword." Sesshoumaru replied simply, turning his face from her soul-piercing eyes.

"Why can't brothers get along?" She breathed softly, with a hint of the soft humor she would sometimes demonstrate in life. "But I must go. I have replenished my souls. My journey continues." She declared in that willowy voice of hers, walking away from him, leaving him feeling strangely empty as she exited the area.

His forlorn bellflower was gone again.

And Sesshoumaru swore he'd save her from her worst enemy – herself. He would save Kikyou, and that was final.

**XXX**

**Author's Notes: **Okay, another chapter is up. Sorry for so many time skips, but this is just how I planned it. The next chapter should be up soon, considering I'm almost halfway through typing it. It's looking like the last chapter… Mwhahaha. ALMOST DONE! Woot. May be a gigantic chapter… Depending on how long it is, I might split it into two chapters. But no worries, it will not take me long to finish it, and should be up sometime in these next two weeks. Best case scenario is that I will end up posting it this Friday, but with school starting, I'm going to play it safe and say two weeks.

Thank you everyone for the support and sorry to have made you suffer so much last chapter! I hope that all of you will be satisfied with the ending, but I'm going to go ahead and say it will be a good one. Just trust me. J

As always, reviews/opinions/thoughts are always welcome!

'Till next chapter! Toodles.


	33. Change of Heart

**XXX**

**Unexpected Encounters **

**Chapter 33: Change of Heart **

**XXX**

As Kikyou had insisted, she and Sesshoumaru had gone their separate ways to defeat Naraku. Sesshoumaru had personally detested not being able to protect her at any given time, but he knew deep inside that it was for the best. Naraku was a master manipulator – an unscrupulous con - artist who would stop at nothing until his victims were left vulnerable in their woe and anger, and for that reason alone, Sesshoumaru knew it was best they weren't together while Naraku was still alive, lest he manipulate them and render them hurting once again. In the entire time Naraku was on the loose causing havoc, only one other time did the taciturn priestess and the stoic demon lord cross paths. It was when the Band of Seven had been revived, when Jakotsu and Suikotsu had ganged up on him and were about to kill Rin, that Kikyou once again reappeared to save the little girl from sure death. She had shot the man who so carried the same earthen smell she did squarely in the throat, sparing him a few moments of life to recount his eerie tale. Sesshoumaru hadn't liked the way the deranged man had looked at Kikyou. His gray eyes had shined with something like a strange yearning that Sesshoumaru was all too familiar with, but the grim priestess did not return his longing; instead she granted him a pitiful look of heartfelt compassion. That steady gaze of hers - that look of kindness and understanding, allayed Sesshoumaru's fears. That same look that Suikotsu settled upon her form, that look of longing, was a look Kikyou had only bestowed on one man in her entire life, and Sesshoumaru was glad to know it was still him that had ever inspired that wishful stare in her melancholy eyes.

"Thank you for saving me, Lady Kikyou!" Rin had gone off to properly thank the sad priestess who stood by Suikotsu's carcass. The little girl gave an appreciative little bow, prompting the weary young woman to smile.

"Ah, you remember my name. It must have been scary for you." Kikyou drawled, "I wish I would've gotten here sooner."

"Well, I'm still alive and well, so you got here right on time." The unruly-haired girl assured, brandishing a smile that warmed the priestess's heart. Kikyou couldn't help but being reminded of Kaede. "But still, he seemed different. Before, he was like a different person. He had been so kind to me." But Rin wasn't allowed to ponder it anymore, as Sesshoumaru began striding away. "Ah, I have to go, thank you again!"

Kikyou said nothing, instead opting to watch the girl trample after Sesshoumaru's retreating figure. _'I, too, shall soon end up like Doctor Suikotsu. Is that why you walk away from me, Sesshoumaru?' _ Kikyou mused, _'Are you disgusted by my fate? Or are you saddened by it?'_

That was the last time the two interacted with each other before Naraku once again seriously hurt Kikyou, for the second time.

But before that, Totosai, the great Inu no Taisho's personal sword smith, had bestowed Tenseiga with an offensive ability – the Meidou Zangetsuha, which made Sesshoumaru even more powerful than ever.

"It's good to see you, Sesshoumaru." Totosai appeared from behind, startling Sesshoumaru's entourage and breaking the aforementioned demon's deep concentration as he turned from his position on the cliff overlooking the raging sea. "I've got news for you."

"Oh? Do you?" Sesshoumaru appeared out of nowhere in front of Totosai and the cow he used to transport himself.

"Ahem, yes. I've been hearing rumors about you, and I must say, I couldn't believe them, but can you hear it? Tenseiga is calling out. It senses your change of heart."

"Change of heart?" Sesshoumaru repeated.

"Yes, it senses your sorrow at a loss. I won't pretend to know what it is that's got you so down, Sesshoumaru, but a little birdie told me it's because of your frustration, because you cannot figure out how to save someone." Totosai bravely proclaimed.

"You speak nonsense, Totosai, this Sesshoumaru feels no sorrow." Sesshoumaru crossed his arms, his tone even but threatening.

"The fact that you bother to contest my allegation gives me further proof. Seems to me that the little birdie was truthful." Totosai observed wisely. "Well it's not my care to question such a change, only to obey and show you Tenseiga's only attack – the Meidou Zangetsuha."

It took Sesshoumaru exactly one try to conjure up the powerful attack, which vexed Totosai more than it should have, '_This damn brat… This will inflate his ego even further. Arrogant puppy.'_

"Wow! Lord Sesshoumaru is strong!" Rin gaped in childish wander as her lord cut through a set of ogres, slicing the very air to reveal a crescent moon filled with stars.

"Yet it is still a crescent. You have yet to master it, Sesshoumaru." Totosai announced, almost giddily at the full demon's inability to complete the full Meidou. The dog demon spoke nothing, instead only stared at his newly upgraded sword in contemplation.

"I suppose its healing power has not been tampered with?" Sesshoumaru questioned, sounding almost hopeful.

"No, that remains the same."

"Tch. No matter." Sesshoumaru dismissed, albeit with the trace of lingering hope wiped off his fair countenance.

_'That Kagome kid said Sesshoumaru was most likely upset lately because Tenseiga cannot bring back some woman from the dead. At his question, it's clear that the kid has told the truth. Well, well, well; the prick has got a heart after all. Who would have thought? The Inu no Taisho must be laughing in his grave now – to think that both of his sons are behaving like lovesick puppies.'_

"Totosai, what are you laughing at?" Sesshoumaru shot a glare at the old demon suspiciously.

"Nothing!" Totosai too abruptly responded, "I am leaving!" He declared before speeding off on his flying cow, before Sesshoumaru abuse him in some way.

"M'lord, surely with this new technique you shall be able to easily dispose of Naraku!" Jaken suggested, trotting up to greet the reticent demon lord.

Sesshoumaru retained any further comments. He merely sheathed his sword and commenced his steady-paced stride in a new direction. Tenseiga might have been given offensive power, but still he was at a loss to regain Kikyou's flesh and blood, and the remaining part of her "soul", if she indeed was still incomplete in that aspect. He couldn't help but feel hollow at the knowledge that he was helpless to restore Kikyou.

**XXX**

"Kohaku!" Rin exclaimed as the young demon slayer appeared behind Sesshoumaru's imposing form. "What are you doing here?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru saved me." The boy replied, looking troubled. "And I am very grateful, but I must get back to Lady Kikyou!"

"You were with Lady Kikyou?" Rin asked.

"Yes, and she's in trouble! She said something about the wounds that Naraku left behind… That they hadn't fully healed, and now that she absorbed the miasma from within my sister's monk friend, she is terribly weakened." The boy rambled, his cheeks flushing in apprehension, "Lady Kikyou said Naraku was trying to corrupt her with his webs!" At this, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in alarm. "She told me to run away from her, since Naraku ultimately wants to taint my shard. Thus, I am very sorry, but I must go back to help her."

"Are you stupid, boy?!" Jaken admonished, waving his staff around. "Don't you see that's what Naraku wants?"

"You go nowhere." Sesshoumaru finally spoke gravely, "You'd be walking straight into one of Naraku's traps."

"But Lady Kikyou is in danger!"

"But if you go, Kohaku, you'll be in danger too!" Rin pleaded, grabbing hold of Kohaku's hand.

"I go." Sesshoumaru abruptly interjected, surprising his entire entourage, except Ah-Un, who lay off to the side, resting. Rin and Kohaku knew nothing of the demon's "romantic" escapade with the Kikyou from fifty years ago. Although Rin suspected something was up with her caretaker and the lovely miko, her childish mind could not grasp how the two could have been connected. Kohaku was even more clueless, as Kikyou was never one to divulge details of her personal life, nor had he seen her intermingle with this prideful demon lord. The two children did not question, however, as their tall demon lord sifted out of sight, leaving them to look at each other with curiosity written all over their faces.

"Master Jaken, does Lord Sesshoumaru love Lady Kikyou?" Rin asked, finally being able to formulate an appropriate enough question.

"N-No! I mean, I don't know." Jaken scratched at his head, not knowing the answer himself.

Meanwhile the group was left to ponder on the mysterious relationship between the demon prince and the human priestess, Sesshoumaru was searching the air with his powerful nose, trying to catch any trace of that earthen smell that Kikyou was bathed in, however wan it may be. He cursed himself for straying from her path, for letting the dark-haired woman out of his sight. Kohaku was just a boy and could be worried over nothing, but Sesshoumaru knew Naraku was more desperate than ever to get rid of Kikyou – the human woman he'd once longed for.

Although Naraku had at first committed all of his evil deeds to possess the pure priestess, he had changed over the last fifty years. According to Kikyou, the half-demon still very much longed for her touch, for her body, for her heart, but instead of attempting to satisfy his desire, the hateful half-demon directed his attentions in trying to get rid of that pesky need. The demons that comprised his body were pushing the human away, and they found no need for the priestess whom they so hated for being so powerful, for eradicating their numbers and preventing them from possessing the Shikon Jewel.

Sesshoumaru knew that Kikyou was in great peril, especially at that point when the jewel was almost complete and Naraku was exponentially growing in power. More than anything, Naraku was afraid of Kikyou, whom he knew was his biggest threat because of the immense spiritual power the woman beheld. For those reasons, Sesshoumaru made haste as he sped through the forest, searching for her smell, a sound; anything that could lead him to her.

When Sesshoumaru arrived, Kikyou's reincarnation, Kagome, had shot an arrow straight at Kikyou's horizontal body at the floor of a ravine. He looked on in surprise as the sacred arrow deflected and headed straight towards Naraku, and for a minute, he thought the woman would finally accomplish her goal, but of course, like always, the wily Naraku had been able to escape just barely from death. Unfortunately, Kikyou didn't seem so lucky.

"How does it feel, Kikyou, to die at the hands of the man you most hate? To die without seeing your lover one last time?" Naraku cackled malevolently as the battered woman on the ground threw him an impervious glare.

"Think again, Naraku." Sesshoumaru 's voice boomed as he released Meidou Zangetsuha, but it was to no avail, Naraku had already fled the scene, like the coward he was.

"Kikyou!" Kagome cried as she slid down to the ravine to lie over the injured girl whom she so resembled. "Why aren't you healed?! I shot the arrow at you, just like you said! Did I mess up?!" From on the cliff, the Inu-tachi and Koga stood speechless, all of them feeling powerless at their inability to stop Naraku. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru soon made their way down to the pit to tower over the two girls. "I don't understand…"

"Kagome…" Kikyou breathed out, staring straight at her reincarnation's molten brown eyes, "You did not fail. Do not blame yourself."

"But then why aren't you okay now?" Kagome demanded, wiping away the accumulation of saltine liquid from her pretty brown eyes – the same eyes that so resembled Kikyou's, once upon a time.

"Kagome, it's up to you now. Protect Kohaku's light…"

"No, don't speak like that! You're not going to die!" Kagome stubbornly insisted. After what she had found out, that Kikyou was no longer the judgmental and cruel woman that she had first met and had returned to being her former compassionate and kind self, Kagome did not want the girl to die. All that time, the judgmental one had been Kagome, and she felt horrible about it. She wanted to make it up to Kikyou, for conjuring up a disdainful illusion that decried the real Kikyou. Kagome continued to cry as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru watched on, silent. It was Kikyou's cool hand to Kagome's warm one that arrested the girl's sad sobs.

"The bow, Kagome, it is yours. You must fill my role in this world. Protect Kohaku… and purify the jewel and Naraku." Kikyou begged of the young woman with tears in her eyes, whom she had in the past despised as much as she had initially despised Inuyasha. But as the young girl stared at her with doleful eyes, Kikyou regretted ever directing a hateful thought towards Kagome. In her, she saw herself, fifty years ago.

"Kikyou…" Kagome began, "I promise you!"_'We could have been friends!'_

"Kagome, may I have a few words with her now?" Inuyasha asked, his golden eyes glazed over in sadness. Usually, Sesshoumaru would be one to contest his brother's request, but at Kikyou's beseeching stare, Sesshoumaru could not deny her unspoken imploration. He supposed Inuyasha had once been there for her when he hadn't, so he "forgave" his younger brother for his feelings towards Kikyou.

"Inuyasha, I don't think I've ever seen you with such a look…" Kikyou weakly uttered, gazing upon his crestfallen countenance.

"I'm sorry, Kikyou, I couldn't save you again!" Inuyasha's voice wavered, "You were the first woman I loved, yet all I did was bring you pain!"

"Inuyasha… It was Naraku that brought me pain, not you." Kikyou kindly asserted, "It only pains me that I could not see it sooner." She added. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. If only I hadn't –"

"No, Kikyou, don't say that." Inuyasha interjected, his eyes brimming with tears – tears that Kikyou nor Kagome nor Sesshoumaru had never before witnessed. "You didn't know! And I didn't either. I promise to you that I – that we – will bring Naraku to justice!"

"I'm sure that you will…" Kikyou offered up a smile; one that sent shivers down Inuyasha's spine. A smile that made Inuyasha's tears fall from his eyes and down his dusty cheeks. From behind him, Kikyou could distinguish Kagome's disheartened expression, and she knew it was not because she was jealous, but because the girl truly felt for her. "Thank you, Inuyasha, for loving me, at one point in your life." She smiled again. "I have always cared for you…" She admitted, her smile never waning.

Inuyasha bit his lower lip with his fangs, turning to Sesshoumaru, clearing the way for Kikyou to share her last moments with his elder brother. With no words needed, Sesshoumaru was apt to take Kikyou's broken body in his arms, beginning to carry her away to a more appropriate place to spend the rest of her waning life. Kagome's sobs became more audible, and softly, as if to console the young girl, Kikyou breathed out tenderly, "Do not cry Kagome…" '_My soul has been saved, don't you see?' _

Inuyasha's group followed Sesshoumaru a ways off, giving him the privacy he desired, but wanting to accompany the dying miko.

"Sesshoumaru… I'm so happy…" Kikyou murmured as he set her upon a grassy field, his singular arm steadying her against his embrace.

"What tomfoolery do you speak of? You're dying." Sesshoumaru harshly reprimanded, not knowing how else to reply to such a puzzling statement.

"I'm finally a normal woman. I am free of my role as priestess. The threads bonding me to the Shikon Jewel have been severed." Kikyou explained, smiling up at him subtly.

"What does it matter if you're a 'normal woman' if you are about to die?" Sesshoumaru countered, his grip around her arm tightening in his frustration. "I was unable to give you a body of blood and flesh. I was unable to protect you, once again. Do you not get it? How could you be happy? Do you wish to mock me?"

"Mock you? Sesshoumaru, but I only speak the truth… I am happy. I thought I would die in the arms of Naraku, that he would end my life before I got to see you," Kikyou crooned, "But here you are. You came for me. And that's enough for me… To get to see you one last time is a blessing; to die in your arms is even better."

"You fool." Sesshoumaru snarled, on his face a despondency that she had never seen him wear. Even more than the first time she parted with him to join death's cold embrace, the demon wore his emotions, albeit not as obviously as Inuyasha.

"I am finally free… To love.." Kikyou breathed in with difficulty, setting her gleaming brown irises upon his handsome countenance. "I don't think I've ever seen that expression on you."

"Tenseiga, does not answer my call." Sesshoumaru gripped the sword with newfound violence, as if threatening to crush if it did not heed his commands.

"Why would you want it to? This false body could not grant you any happiness." Kikyou sighed, "Alas, it could not grant me any joy either… I could never bear children… I could never truly feel the warmth of an embrace, the wet trail of a tear, the gentle brush of lips… I could never truly be alive."

"Kikyou..." Sesshoumaru let her name escape from his frowning lips as he lowered his face to her, letting the gravity of their bond pull him to her. He let the scent of bones and grave soil dissipate, let the cracks apparent on her neck vanish beneath his soft gaze, let the knowledge that she was part of the living dead fade into the dark recesses of his mind.

"Sesshoumaru, I l-"

"Don't say another word." He murmured assertively before leaning in and capturing her lips in a very un-Sesshoumaru kiss. It was soft, tender, but carried the force of his unspoken affection for her, and despite her weakness, the priestess returned the gesture, feeling a tear fall from her eyes as she felt the soft brushing of his warm lips.

He released her from his grasp, watching on in distress as the woman smiled up at him, her dark lashes glistening with her tears. His eyes widened as the clay disappeared from his arms and burst into a big sphere of pure white light. The light passed through him, sending strange tingles to dance everywhere around his body – inside and outside.

"Kikyou… is this your soul?" Sesshoumaru wondered aloud as the light and Kikyou's soul stealers went to greet Inuyasha and his motley crew of avengers.

"It's so warm…" Sesshoumaru heard Kagome comment as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"It's like she's greeting us." The little fox demon, Shippo, commented, also affected by the sad fate of the lonely shrine maiden.

"Sesshoumaru, wait!" Kagome called after the tall demon lord, halting his somber procession back to Kohaku, Rin, and Jaken. "I just wanted to say… I'm sorry. But I won't let Kikyou's sacrifice go to waste!"

"No, I would hope not." Sesshoumaru stated simply, too affected by Kikyou's death to come up with a nasty remark, not that he wished to, anyway.

"I promised Kikyou! And now I promise everyone else too!" Kagome reiterated, wiping away her tears and giving off a look of determination, looking more like her predecessor, Kikyou, than ever. Sesshoumaru noticed the change in the wavy-haired shade of the priestess who had just died.

"Failure is not an option." Were Sesshoumaru's last words as he disappeared off into the distance, leaving the group to grieve over the events.

**XXX**

Over the course of the threat of Magatsuhi, Sesshoumaru had increased his power tenfold. The demon had finally let go of his lingering hatred for his younger brother and had finally stopped coveting the demon fang, Tetsusaiga. In his battle with Magatsuhi, Sesshoumaru had gained his own sword, the Bakusaiga, as well as his left arm, which allowed him to bypass his late father in strength. Sesshoumaru was perhaps the strongest demon in all of the land. Inuyasha had also increased his strength, having learned the Meidou Zangetsuha from his elder half-sibling. If they failed to kill Naraku, it would not be because of lack of strength. It all laid in Kagome's hands, as she would be the one to deal the final blow.

The day came that the group would confront Naraku one last time, all assembled to exact their revenge upon the evil demon whom had caused them so much suffering.

"I shall finally slay you now, Naraku!" Sesshoumaru growled dangerously, hovering in front of Naraku's distorted body.

"Avenging Kikyou, are you? How pathetic!" Naraku cackled.

"It's not funny! You split Sesshoumaru and Kikyou and Inuyasha apart because you were jealous! The pathetic one here is you!" Kagome pointed an angry finger from her place atop Shippo's balloon form.

"Naraku, prepare to die!" Inuyasha hollered, readying Tetsusaiga in case his brother needed backup as he dealt the final blow.

"Bakusaiga!" Sesshoumaru uttered his battle cry, inflicting a wave of destruction on the mess of Naraku. Kagome was true to her word and sent a sacred arrow flying straight through the Shikon no Tama, instantly purifying it along with the remnants of Naraku.

However, the girl had been swallowed by a Meidou, and that was the last Sesshoumaru heard about that. He had not stayed to discover her fate, leaving it for Inuyasha to handle. It was only after three years that Sesshoumaru saw the girl again dressed in priestess robes by Inuyasha's side.

After the events of the final battle with Naraku, Sesshoumaru had left Rin to stay in a human village so that she might decide later whether she wanted to live among humans or continue travelling with him. He often visited her, bringing back gifts from his travels that the girl might enjoy. It was during one such visit that something troubling had occurred during his absence.

"Sesshoumaru, Kaede and I have tried helping Rin, but I think she's contracted something beyond our ability to heal." Kagome informed Sesshoumaru, her eyebrows furrowed in obvious worry.

"Are you not miko? What use are you if you cannot heal human maladies?" Sesshoumaru raised his voice, angry that the two supposedly savvy priestesses could not cure Rin.

"Hey now, don't you dare disrespect Kagome or Kaede! They've done the best they can!" Inuyasha pitched in his two cents, waving an angry fist at Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru, remain calm! Throwing a fit will not make Rin get better!" Kaede warned sternly, her glare penetrating through Sesshoumaru.

"Then what do you suggest I do, you old prune?" Sesshoumaru insulted.

"This old prune suggests you take her to a human doctor." Kaede cleared her throat, brushing off the insult like if it had been a child's tantrum, "I've heard stories of an exceptional doctor from far up north, close to the coast. Apparently, he's so good that people from all over the land venture so that he may cure their ails. He's some kind of miracle worker. I suggest you go find him."

With no other option, Sesshoumaru rudely grunted before he made the decision to travel up to the north on a quest to find the so-called miracle-worker. Quickly, he called upon his loyal pet dragon and made Jaken saddle him up so that the weakened Rin could travel on him.

**XXX**

Locating the doctor's village was not hard at all. Humans were masters of gossip, and all Sesshoumaru had needed to do was listen in to their conversations for directions. From their inane chatter, Sesshoumaru was able to determine the esteemed doctor's location, which was far up northeast, next to the coast, where war took a backseat to plague, although the village was not rural enough to avoid the full scope of the ravages of war, it still had a more peaceful atmosphere than most human settlements in which violence due to war was commonplace.

"Are we almost there, Master Jaken?" Sesshoumaru had heard Rin ask meekly as he returned to their company from a hunt to catch food for the sick child. The child hacked violently, so much that both demons thought her small body may fall apart from the immense force of her wheezes.

"Ah, well…" Jaken stumbled upon his words, not seeing his lord's return and not quite sure of how far they were away from the doctor.

"We are close." Sesshoumaru interjected, causing Jaken to jump in fright from the suddenness of the demon lord's voice. "Jaken, prepare Rin's meal." Sesshoumaru ordered, haphazardly throwing the fish and quail he had easily acquired by Jaken's feet.

"Ah, yes, of course, Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken saluted, but not before asking one more question, "Ah, but when shall we arrive, my lord? Rin seems to only get weaker… I don't know how much more she can handle with all of our travelling…"

"This afternoon." Sesshoumaru tersely answered, leaning back against an imposing tree behind him. "Now make haste." Jaken wasted no more time and immediately got to work. The little imp was no human expert, but with all of the time he spent with Rin, he learned how the little girl liked her food.

Soon, Jaken had prepared Rin her meal, which she struggled to ingest due to her illness which rendered her without much of an appetite, but after taking a few bites, without further ado, the odd group was on foot again.

Just as Sesshoumaru had surmised, they had arrived at the doctor's village right in the afternoon. The village was shrouded in a scent of sickness, but using his superior demon (and canine) senses, he was able to detect where the cloud emanated most strongly. He guessed that that was where the good doctor lived.

**XXX**

"Thank you so much, Doctor Soijirou!" An elderly woman bowed to a homely looking younger man. He appeared to be in his late twenties and had dark black hair tied into a topknot and wore a simple dark blue men's haori and hakama.

"It is no problem, Sachiko. Just remember to take those herbs every single day." The doctor chimed, sparing the older woman a dashing smile. The woman waved one final time before making her exit from the hut. The young man followed her out, wiping his brow. He was about to retreat back into his home, but a most strange sight caught his eye and he couldn't help but gape in fear. Coming towards him was a tall young man, with shining white hair and glimmering golden eyes, but what paralyzed the doctor in fright was the man's pointy ears – the lobes characteristic of most high-ranking demons. Stomping behind him was a green little toad holding the reigns of a large two-headed dragon. He did not perceive the child slumped across the demon, however, and thus his first reaction was to threaten. "Demons! Don't come closer or I'll… I'll…" He stopped short, not knowing what he'd do against a crew of powerful demons.

"Or you'll what? Kill us with a cane?" Jaken asked sarcastically.

"Human, you are the famed doctor, are you not?" Sesshoumaru directed his monotonous tone towards the panic-stricken human man.

"Y-Yes… Have you come to kill me?!"

"I have no interest in such a thing. I come because I want you to heal Rin." Sesshoumaru retorted icily.

"R-Rin? I know not of demon medicine." The doctor, Soijirou, replied, curiously glancing at the demon imp, thinking he was referring to him. A high-pitched cough brought his attention to the girl strewn over Ah-Un. "Is she Rin?"

"Yes, human! Now heal her!" Jaken demanded, speaking for Sesshoumaru.

"What is a human child doing with demons?" Soijirou wondered aloud.

"It is not of your business to question. It is only your job to treat her." Sesshoumaru harshly responded, not in the mood for the human's annoying curiosity. "Treat her. If you refuse, you die." He threatened darkly. Gulping, the doctor cautiously approached the rasping human girl who clung to the dragon.

"Rin?" The doctor nudged the child, bringing her into his arms, relieved to see she was indeed human.

"Y-Yes? I'm so sick, mister…" The little girl whined as the doctor cradled her and brought her away from the demons, nearing his humble abode.

"Don't worry, child, I'll help you…" The man assured, "And you'll feel just fine here. There's other children living here too." Sesshoumaru set his frosty scrutiny upon the man. He turned his vision towards the left of the hut, where the forest began, hearing the sound of children's laughter. "Speaking of which, here they come."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at what he saw – who he saw – stepping out from among the trees ringed by children.

"Kikyou?" Her name slipped from his lips. Standing before him was Kikyou, her dark hair tied back by a pale yellow ribbon. She no longer dressed in priestess robes; instead she donned a light honey-colored kimono sprinkled with maroon flowers, not too showy, as it was a typical village girl's attire. At the delicate syllables of her name, the woman snapped her head to meet eyes with the regal demon lord's amber gaze. The children all looked upon the strange visitor curiously, looking back up to the young woman's face once thoroughly studying him.

Kikyou dropped the bushel of herbs in her arms and fell to her knees, grasping her head in apparent pain.

**XXX**

**Author's Notes: **Well, I split the finale into two chapters. Stay tuned for the next update. Thanks all again for your continued support! The ending of this chapter may have you confused, but never fear, all shall be revealed in the finale! Reviews are always welcome! :)


	34. Finale

**Foreword: **The final chapter. I hope you all enjoy this! Thank you for all the support!

**XXX**

_**Unexpected Encounters – Finale**_

_**XXX**_

"Lady Kikyou!" The children circling the stark-haired young woman cried out in worry. Kikyou was on the ground, clutching at her temples as if she was trying to hold in a sharp pain. Meanwhile the girl dropped to her knees, the doctor set Rin tenderly on the steps leading to the hut before running up to Kikyou, grabbing a hold of her shoulders. Sesshoumaru was too confounded to react in any way but to uncharacteristically gape. Jaken, too, could not believe his eyes, which bulged out in sheer astonishment.

"Lady Kikyou, is it another migraine?" The doctor questioned, a distraught look about him. "Here, let us take you back to the hut." He offered an outstretched hand.

"No, it's quite alright." Kikyou breathed through the sharp pounding in her head, "I will be fine." The woman removed one of her hands from her head and made to pick up the herbs she had previously dropped on the ground shakily. The three children surrounding her quickly bent down to help her replace the herbs back into the bushel. "I've brought some more herbs to replenish the stash, doctor."

"Uh, thank you." The doctor scratched at his head awkwardly, before turning to Sesshoumaru, whose golden eyes were still dilated in disbelief. Was the woman only a figment of his imagination? Or was she just a random village girl who only happened to be a physical copy of Kikyou by chance? Sesshoumaru took note of her scent – the smell of fresh lavenders, and he knew it was Kikyou's scent from when she had been alive fifty years ago. Was she another reincarnation? But no, it wouldn't make sense. Kikyou had only died three years ago. Had she been reincarnated once again, the reincarnation would have at most been three years old. Thoughts like those wafted in and out of Sesshoumaru's head as he tried to come up with a logical explanation, but alas, it was far beyond his comprehension.

"Kikyou..." Sesshoumaru let her name roll off his tongue again, and she glanced up at him questioningly with innocent doe eyes.

"Do you two know each other?" The doctor asked skeptically. Before Sesshoumaru could come up with an intelligible answer, Kikyou replied first.

"No, not that I'm aware of." Kikyou replied simply, taking the bushel of herbs back into her arms while she stood up. Sesshoumaru grit his teeth and turned away from her and the doctor, prompting Kikyou to speak again, "Or am I wrong? Have we met before?"

"Don't you remember?" Jaken spoke for Sesshoumaru, whom still did not face her.

"Am I supposed to?" Kikyou countered softly, making her way towards the hut, stopping to find Rin struggling to sit up, "Doctor Soijirou, perhaps you should worry less about me and get this child the appropriate amount of attention." She suggested, kneeling down to put a hand to the child's feverish forehead and brandishing a soft smile to comfort the sick little girl.

"Lady Kikyou...?" Rin gasped weakly, recognition bubbling up on her pale countenance.

"Yes, Kikyou is my name. Now come, let's get you inside." Kikyou offered a slender hand which was gratefully taken by Rin's small one, and they disappeared into the hut.

"Children, Rin is very sick, how about you go out into the village and play while Lady Kikyou and I help her?" Soijirou approached the children, who looked confused at the palpable tension practically emanating from the two demons who had brought Rin.

"Ah, yes of course, doctor! Come on, Sachi and Haru, let's go play!" The oldest of the kids spoke, a slightly freckled twelve-year-old boy.

"Rest assured, under my care, Rin will get better." Soijirou directed his tone at Sesshoumaru, who was still looking off to the side, trying to bubble up a plausible explanation as to why _his _Kikyou (for he was sure of her identity) failed to recognize him.

"Who is that woman?" Sesshoumaru finally spoke, turning his head back to stare unwaveringly at the dark-haired human man who rivaled his height. Sesshoumaru knew full well that it was Kikyou, but he wanted to see what relation she held to the man; what he knew of her former self.

"You mean Kikyou? She helps me tend to the patients. An assistant, of sorts, though she is just as much a doctor as I am, I suppose." Soijirou chuckled nervously, putting a hand to his head, "She's a wise woman, that's for sure." Seeing Sesshoumaru's look of deep thought, the young man added, "Um, but you act like you know her... I know she said you've never met, but your reaction says otherwise."

"And if I do?"

"Well, then that'd be wonderful! You see, it was three years ago that I first met Kikyou. The children whom you just saw right now had been playing on the beach when they saw a woman's body wash ashore. They immediately called for me, and there she was, completely naked and unconscious." The man blushed at this point and was oblivious to Sesshoumaru's spiteful glare, "So I took her back to my hut, where I tended to her until she awoke. I was very curious to know who she was. Had she fallen off a fishing boat? Had she been violated and then thrown into the ocean? Or had she simply been bathing when a strong current carried her away? I was very anxious to know, but when she awakened three years ago, my questions had not been answered. When I asked her what had happened to her, she just looked at me with those big brown eyes and told me she didn't know." Soijirou laughed.

"So then she lost her memory?" Jaken inquired.

"Yes, I would think so. She didn't even know her name at first, and still she's not very sure if Kikyou is her real name. She just said one day that she had stumbled upon a field of bellflowers and they struck such a deep chord within her that she got a feeling that was her name." Soijirou recalled, manifesting an irritating chipper glow to his muddy eyes. "But the point is that she lost her memory, and I have no idea how. An enigma, she is. I searched her head for any lesions, but she was completely clean. And it would be great if you've met before, since maybe you can trigger her memories back. It bothers her that she can't remember, the poor girl." The doctor finished, putting a hand to his chin. "But enough of that, I've got a child to attend. Um, I will, uh, inform you of our progress? Or would you like to step inside?" He asked in discomfort.

"I shall return later." Was Sesshoumaru's reply, leaving the nervous man to his fidgety ways.

After Soijirou's lengthy explanation, Sesshoumaru had gone off to stroll down the beach, trying to piece together why Kikyou would have washed up there in the nude; it made absolutely no sense to his superior mind.

"Hey look, it's the man from earlier!" A youthful voice interrupted Sesshoumaru's intense cogitation. In slight annoyance, the cocky demon lord briefly wondered why children were so apt to flock to him. A thought occurred to him, however, that dispelled his annoyance.

"Humans," Sesshoumaru tactlessly addressed the three snot-nosed little brats, "You found Kikyou here, did you?"

"Um, yes, we did. Over yonder, actually!" The eldest pointed towards the precise spot where they had spotted the former priestess for the first time. "She looked like a goddess..." He trailed off dreamily. It was apparent the boy had a childish crush on the fully grown woman.

"But she doesn't remember how she got there?"

"Actually, she does. She just doesn't tell Doctor Soijirou because she thinks he won't believe her!" The middle child, a brunette girl of about nine, answered. "She wasn't going to tell us neither, but we overheard her speakin' to herself. She made us promise not to tell no one."

"And what did she say?" Sesshoumaru pressed.

"Can't say." The eldest crossed his arms valiantly.

"She said a priestess gave her a second chance!" The youngest child, who could barely pronounce any of the words she said, blurted out.

"Haru!" The two older children scolded.

_'The priestess gave her a second chance? Was she revived by some priestess? But how and why?' _Sesshoumaru rummaged through his brain, hoping to find some sort of answer, but after finding no logical explanation, he gave up. He'd just have to confront Kikyou about it, alone.

**XXX**

"Ah, you're back, um, demon, sir." The doctor nervously greeted, not wanting to offend the haughty dog demon who came through the door.

"How is Rin?" Jaken asked dutifully from beside his master.

"The girl has a terrible fever, but she will be just fine under our care. I've asked Lady Kikyou to go off in search of a specific herb necessary to heal Rin. Well, more like she volunteered. Hehe. An amazing woman, I say." The doctor praised offhandedly, a far off expression on his tanned face.

Sesshoumaru merely turned on his heel, knowing that it was his chance to meet with the solemn priestess without the interference of the pesky human doctor. "You stay, Jaken." Sesshoumaru tersely ordered the little demon imp when he tried to follow him.

"Ah, yes m'lord." Jaken obediently stayed put, leaving his lord to walk off into the forest, following Kikyou's subtly fragrant scent. Sesshoumaru found her, the former priestess, kneeling close to the edge of a grassy precipice, overlooking the thunderous waves as they crashed against the cliff, sending water and sea foam to rise in tumultous mixture. Her legs were tucked underneath her bottom, her small sandaled feet poking out from her sitting form.

"Kikyou." Sesshoumaru spoke, but the woman did not stir.

"I do not know if you speak to me like that to degrade me or because of familiarity." The woman's willowy voice graced his ears, but still she did not bless him with her celestial countenance; her back remained turned to him. "Demon, you mystify me."

"I can say the same for you, Kikyou." Sesshoumaru replied, nearing her. The wind picked up her hair, sending it flapping like a black river floating violently in midair. Her fragrance dispersed at a stronger concentration at the tumble of the breeze.

"What's your relationship to that girl? I find it odd that a demon should care for a little girl's health. I don't suppose you plan to eat her? To go through so much trouble for a meal..." Kikyou mused, almost absently, finally turning her pale face to his.

"That should be obvious, woman." He temporarily snapped, frustrated at both her accusatory tone and the cold stare of suspicion she fixed upon him; his voice causing the girl to raise her eyebrows in slight surprise. "What you should be asking is what relationship I hold with you." He added.

"Ah, I wasn't aware we held one." Kikyou replied, a hint of wit laced in her wry tone.

"Do you truly not remember me?" Sesshoumaru persisted, taking a step closer, "Did you truly forget about everything?" His usually monotone drawl fluctuated a tad, deceiving the nonchalant facade he tried to put up; uncovering the hurt that belied his questions. Kikyou was alive again, back in her own flesh, but Sesshoumaru and Kikyou seemed to be followed by the most cruel irony. Kikyou cast a wary eye upon the approaching demon lord. Tentatively, the young woman effortlessly pushed herself off the ground, her eyes glued to his tall figure, tracing every single moment of his body as his long steps crept closer and closer to her until he was so close she could hear the silent whir of the perfectly timed breaths he took. She felt her heart begin to beat wildly against her chest – in fear, or something else? She wasn't sure as he leaned further into her. Their eyes connected, and they both felt a jolt of exhilaration travel down their every nerve – their mind, their blood, their heart.

The rushing blood through her veins and the rapid pounding of her heart reached new levels when she took a step back and found herself slipping away from Sesshoumaru and plummeting over the cliff she had forgotten she was on top of. The young woman let out a terrified gasp and then released a scream when she felt her heart drop to her stomach at the feeling of free fall.

Sesshoumaru quickly snapped out from his stunned stupor and quickly jumped off the precipice to follow after the falling girl. Before gravity could send her into the jagged rocks hidden by the raging seawater, Sesshoumaru easily caught her in his arms before mother nature could tear up her fragile form. He entangled one arms over her torso and the other underneath her knees as flew up back to the top of the cliff.

"Th-Thank you." Kikyou stuttered out, releasing the breath that she hadn't known she had been holding.

"Must you always be so eager to die?" Sesshoumaru inquired, humorlessly, as he continued to hold the young woman in his able arms.

"Must you always be so eager to hold me?" She countered back, a haughty smirk on her face. Sesshoumaru did not relinquish his firm grasp, instead, he continued to scrutinize her with his intense amber gaze, trying to find a vestige of recognition in her soulful brown eyes. The woman returned his analytical stare, only hers was gentler, trying to find any lies, if they existed, but she was only met with icy honesty from those molten golds. She felt a strange warmth begin to build up in her – a strange thawing sensation that began at her heart and swam outwards from her thumping center. She felt her face color as she, for the first time since she'd met him, truly looked at him. The pleasant feeling abruptly stopped, however, when she was attacked by a furious migraine. "L-Let me go..." She gasped out as she begin to struggle away from his grasp. Her sudden change of demeanor took Sesshoumaru aback, thus disabling him from maintaining his stronghold as she flailed out of his arms to land on the plush grass. Before he could mutter any words, the woman took up the basket that had up until then lay forgotten to the side and staggered away from him.

Sesshoumaru only sighed in defeat as the woman scurried away from him.

**XXX**

"Ah, with these herbs, Rin should be back to full health in no time." Soijirou cheerfully announced, "But alas, at this point, I'm more worried about you, Kikyou, than I am about this child."

"There is no need to worry, doctor. My migraines are always only fleeting." Kikyou spoke softly from her spot sitting against the wall of the hut.

"But they are always so painful, no matter how short they are. It worries me." Soijirou sighed. "If only I could cure your pain, Lady Kikyou. I would be a happy man." Not knowing what to respond to such a reply, Kikyou opted to stay silent, and laid her vision upon Rin's sleeping face. The warmth from before, when she had been in Sesshoumaru's arms, spiraled anew again at Rin's peaceful visage. Kikyou gasped at the feeling. "Lady Kikyou?"

"It's nothing. I was just thinking of how she's such a sweet child." Kikyou half-lied. She was truly thinking of Sesshoumaru and the foreign tingling he had caused, but part of her mind was also on Rin – the odd little girl who praised and cherished and loved her demon friends.

"Truly. One wonders how it is that she came to adore those demons so much." Soijirou wondered aloud, brushing the girl's bangs from her sweaty face. "Poor thing. Either her parents have died or they abandoned her. There's no other reason why she doesn't mention them."

"Indeed." Kikyou agreed, too engrossed watching Rin sleep to notice Soijirou scooting towards her.

"I one day... hope to have a child as cute as Rin." The doctor began nervously.

"Who wouldn't?" Kikyou returned his chatter.

"Yeah, who wouldn't. Would you, um, ever want to be a mother, Lady Kikyou?" The good-natured man gulped shakily. To an ordinary woman, his intentions would have been clear as his voice wavered and he scooted nearer still, but Kikyou was no ordinary woman, and thus remained completely oblivious to his advances as she continued on with her heavy daydream.

"Having children of my own... would be wonderful." Kikyou let the thought spill, absently. Sesshoumaru's handsome visage randomly crossed her mind.

"Then, um, Lady Kikyou, what if – what if we..." Soijirou began to breathe faster as he gently took one of Kikyou's slender hands in his, "What if we settle down... together?" At this, Kikyou snapped out of her deep reverie to look upon the doctor's flustered face in surprise. "We could have children of our very own! And they would play with the orphans... and we would watch over them as we grow old together." He finished breezily, a serene smile crossing his pleasant face. Soijirou was no gorgeous demon lord, but though plain he was, he was still handsome – a sort of mildly charming handsome.

"Doctor Soijirou, I..." Kikyou trailed off, guiltily turning her melancholy earthen browns away from him.

"Will you be my wife, Kikyou? Will you be the mother of my children?" Soijirou finished tenderly, placing a chaste kiss upon her knuckles. Kikyou continued to avert her gaze as she bit her bottom lip in consternation. "Since the first time I met you, I've been hopelessly in love with you. Perhaps at first it was mere infatuation because of how beautiful you were – are, but, I think it's blossomed into love. I do not know who you were before you came upon here, but I am in love with you." He cupped Kikyou's hand in his two hands, staring at her hopefully. "And I'd be the happiest man alive if you could be mine."

"Doctor Soijirou..." Kikyou sighed deeply, she could not lie, the thought had once idly crossed her mind, but more than love, she had only thought of it to satisfy the loneliness that engulfed her. The thought had easily left her mind; however, for she knew that the loneliness would have persisted, because no matter how much she wanted to, he could not fill the void her past life had left in her. She could not recall her past life, but she always knew that the hole came from there. It truly pained her, for she knew that the young doctor was a good man, perhaps to a fault, but she could not return his feelings of love. She would be doing him a disservice if she lied to him and told him she felt the same. With a sad look in her eyes, she came to a conclusion.

"Doctor Soijirou... Thank you for loving me." Kikyou began surely, but bittersweetly, "I have grown fond of you over these last three years, but I am afraid I cannot return your feelings of love." She exhaled, finally looking upon his countenance as the words fell from her lips. "I am very thankful for everything that you've done for me. For letting me be of use to you, and to all of the kind villagers who so kindly took me in. I understand if you do not wish to speak to me after this." She spoke decisively, albeit with a gloomy twinge to her tone.

"Kikyou... Perhaps if you just gave it more time, you'd learn to love me." Soijirou pleaded, gripping her hands more tightly than before.

"I don't want to hurt you." Kikyou sighed, "I'd be doing more damage if I did that. Doctor, I truly am very sad that I could not return your feelings. You've been nothing but generous."

"Is it another man?" Soijirou asked, sadly. Although it was a simple question, it took Kikyou's breath away – she felt her throat constrict and the question left her speechless. Why couldn't she just agree to marry the doctor? Why hadn't she fallen in love with him as well? Soijirou was a good man – almost too good to be true. He was a doctor, and for some reason, it had turned out Kikyou shared his interest in the field of medicine. Were they not a perfect fit? They both loved children and helping people. It made no sense that she was reluctant to accept him as a husband. He was every young girl's dream, and yet there Kikyou was, denying him her hand in marriage.

"Y-Yes. It is." Kikyou admitted, letting the words roll off her tongue before she could form coherent thoughts. "It's true. It's another man. I'm in love with another man." She spoke, putting her hands to her face in shock. _'I'm in love?' _She asked herself. She felt the prickling of tears begin to spew at the corners of her eyes.

"Who...?" Soijirou inquired, letting his hands retreat from hers. Before she could reply, Kikyou clutched at her head again, another migraine assaulting her senses. The doctor dropped the subject as he quickly set to work, grabbing the cloth bathed in lukewarm water he had only a few minutes ago applied on Rin. He spread Kikyou's fringe from her forehead and placed the cloth there as he assisted her in laying down, completely horizontal.

From outside the hut, Sesshoumaru thoughtfully crossed his arms; unmoving. For a moment, he had been afraid of Kikyou's answer, but her later speech confounded him. Had she said that to halt the doctor's advances? Or had she truly meant it? He had caught a whiff of the salty scent of tears, but knew not from whence they came.

The time passed slowly as Sesshoumaru stood outside the humble hut the doctor called a home, waiting for the pair inside to converse again, waiting for Kikyou's answer to the doctor's question. Who, indeed?

"Lady Kikyou, how about you sleep here tonight? From the looks of it, you are not well enough to take the walk back to the village." Sesshoumaru heard the doctor say inside. He suspected Kikyou had only nodded, as she made no sound except the ruffling of cloth. He gritted his teeth in anger. If the doctor tried anything on Kikyou, Sesshoumaru didn't know whether he'd be able to hold himself back, but his fears were allayed when he heard shuffling and then the man's steady breathing falling into rhythm with Rin's troubled wheezes. Soijirou had fallen asleep without further badgering Kikyou. Sesshoumaru leaned against the hut, frustrated that Kikyou's answer would be delayed.

Sesshoumaru was so lost in thought that he almost missed Kikyou's quiet footfalls as she tiptoed out of the hut and scurried into the forest. He didn't need an invitation to follow after her.

Surreptitiously, the demon lord trailed after her, making no sound even as she crunched leaves and thudded against the forest floor. Sesshoumaru halted when she did – when she reached the beach and waded into the frigid, unforgiving seawater.

She gazed upon the cloudless sky, bathing in the unobstructed moonlight of that crystal clear night, letting the tide freeze her to the very bone, letting her long dark hair dance in the breeze. Entranced by her display, Sesshoumaru stepped closer, unthinkingly letting his presence be known as he slightly kicked at the sand. The girl whipped her head around, startled by subtle sound; her eyes wide, her pale cheeks and nose flushed due to the chilly wind.

"Sesshoumaru." Kikyou uttered softly, her voice barely audible over the whisper of the waves.

"The orphans said a priestess gave you a second chance. What does that mean?" Sesshoumaru spoke into the whir of the tide.

"That's right. The only thing I could remember was a priestess. She told me that because of her mistake, I had suffered greatly. That my life had been cut short." Kikyou reminisced, "She said that I deserved a second chance."

"A priestess? Could it be the creator of the Shikon Jewel?" Sesshoumaru inquired, remembering the lore that surrounded that mystical jewel that had been the bane of Kikyou's burden.

"Yes, Midoriko. She said she'd give me the last of her power to revive me, to give me a second chance at life, before she was wished away." Kikyou further revealed, "At the time, I didn't understand it, but... now I do. A girl in an odd kimono made the right wish. Her name..."

"Is Kagome, the priestess. She's your reincarnation." Sesshoumaru assisted, hoping that her memory of him would trigger. "You were a priestess too."

"That explains my knowledge of medicine," Kikyou said, "But more than anything, I remember your face. Sesshoumaru." Kikyou turned her full body towards him, gazing at him with bright eyes, "I remember you. I died in your arms. Twice." She laughed ironically.

"You can never stay dead, can you?" Sesshoumaru mocked, his amber eyes boring into her.

"Do you wish me to?" Kikyou asked sharply, her tone laced with dry jest.

"No." Sesshoumaru negated, letting that singular word express everything his face had trouble demonstrating – his pleasure at her resurrection. Kikyou sauntered closer towards him, stepping out from the knee-deep water to meet him halfway until the two were only ankle-deep.

"Who is that other man?" Sesshoumaru queried, mimicking the doctor's former question.

"You." Kikyou answered simply, giving him a brimming smile before she tentatively enveloped her arms around his broad torso, laying her face upon his breast plate. At that moment, Sesshoumaru cursed his fashion statement at the obstruction it caused. "Your arm is back." Kikyou commented idly, settling her body against his plush fur as she ran her fingers up his restored left arm.

"Your body is back." He countered back in his mordant manner. She only laughed at his biting sense of humor, the sound pleasing Sesshoumaru's pointed ears. Spontaneously, the much taller demon lord brought her to face him, enveloping a clawed hand into her thick hair.

"Fate has brought us back together."

"No, not fate." Sesshoumaru asserted, leaning down while simultaneously tilting Kikyou's head up.

"Then what...?" She whispered, the sigh of her words brushing his lips as he brought them closer and closer together.

"Our unexpected encounters." Sesshoumaru finished, connecting their eager lips together in sweet reunion. Kikyou felt herself melt as she wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself. Likewise, Sesshoumaru felt a shiver travel down his spine at the overwhelmingly pleasurable feeling of her soft, warm lips working against him.

**XXX**

"Ah, well, Lord Demon, Rin is mostly recovered, so she can now travel back. Here is some medicine I prepared in case she relapses." Soijirou handed Jaken a container, presumably full of herbs.

"Er, thank you." Jaken thanked the young doctor awkwardly, not used to being grateful to humans.

"Em, Lady Kikyou, may I have a word with you?" The doctor asked the young woman, whom at the moment was helping mount Rin on Ah-Un.

"Yes, what is it, doctor?"

"Well, um, is it really safe to go with them?" Soijirou asked worriedly.

"It'll be fine, doctor. I know them, remember?" Kikyou assured the finnicky young man, "Thank you, Doctor Soijirou, for all of your kindness. I am eternally grateful." Kikyou bowed. "And I'm sorry, for the other night..."

"Don't worry, Kikyou. I just hope that you will be happy." The man smiled, albeit gazing at her with slight sorrow. Kikyou returned his smile and rewarded him with a friendly embrace, much to Sesshoumaru's displeasure.

"Thank you!" Rin waved from her spot on Ah-Un, brandishing a toothy smile. Without further ado, the motley group began on their way. "I'm so glad you're coming with us, Lady Kikyou!" Rin chirped.

"I am glad you are so happy, Rin." Kikyou smiled at the child from her place walking beside the dragon.

"Will you come live with me in the village with Lady Kaede and Lady Kagome and Lord Inuyasha and Master Miroku and Lady Sango? Or will you travel with Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin whispered the last part slyly.

"I think I'll stay with Lord Sesshoumaru, if he will have me." Kikyou laughed pleasantly, pushing a strand of hair from the little girl's exuberant face.

"Oh, he'll have you, alright." Jaken snorted suggestively. Kikyou threw the little imp a dirty look while Sesshoumaru gave him a kick to the head for his insolence.

"What do you mean by that, Master Jaken?" Rin asked innocently, "And why did Lord Sesshoumaru hit you?"

"You'll understand when you're older..." Jaken uttered out, rubbing at his newly bruised head.

**XXX**

"You didn't want Inuyasha to see me, did you?" Kikyou inquired, soon after dropping off Rin.

"Frankly, no." Sesshoumaru bluntly answered.

"You don't have to worry, Inuyasha is in love with Kagome now." Kikyou assured, walking next to him. In their travels, Kikyou had slowly been able to recuperate the memories she had lost, much to the relief of all. "But perhaps it is best if they think me dead."

"It is." Sesshoumaru agreed, "Although it is ultimately your decision whether you wish to stay here or follow me." He added, angling his face towards her own.

"Well isn't it obvious what I choose?" Kikyou looked up at him, a small smile on her lips as she continued to walk in-step beside him. "I choose to follow you." The dashing demon said nothing as he slowed down to pick something from Ah-Un's saddle bags.

"Here. This is yours." Sesshoumaru handed her a neatly folded cloth. She gasped in realization of what it was. It was the fine bellflower-crested kimono Sesshoumaru had given her fifty-three years ago. "If you're to be seen with me, you will not be wearing peasant's rags."

"You knew my answer all along, didn't you? You didn't doubt it. Arrogant demon." Kikyou hollowly insulted, "Did you keep it all this time?" returning her attention to the beautifully crafted cloth.

"No, I asked your sister for it. She thinks I want it as a memento. Sentimental fool." Sesshoumaru quipped.

"I don't know if I could ever get used to anything so fine..."

"You will. After all, that is all you will be dressing in for the remainder of your life, which shall be a long one." Kikyou stared at him blankly, demanding an explanation, "Must you make me say it aloud, woman? If you are to be _my mate_, you will have to dress the role." Kikyou's pretty brown eyes brightened and her jaw went a little slack, "What? That's what you were agreeing to when you said you chose to follow me, is it not?"

"I... Yes. I just never thought that... you'd be willing to let go of your pride... Oh, Sesshoumaru." Kikyou smiled so fully that she seemed more like her cheery reincarnation than her usual somber self. Such a bright smile even made Sesshoumaru's heart stir. The heart he once hadn't known existed. He sometimes wondered if it had always been there or if it had magically appeared after meeting Kikyou.

"Mate sounds so dry. Why not just say 'wife'?" Kikyou boldly inquired.

"Don't push it. It has already taken a great amount of effort to say it." Sesshoumaru huffed.

"Is it really so displeasing? To think of me as your wife? Your lifelong partner...?" Kikyou trailed off, directing her vision to the fuchsia-shaded evening sky.

"It is not." Sesshoumaru reassured her before looking her up and down, "Most definitely not." He smirked as the young woman caught his suggestive stare and saw her cheeks redden in what he assumed was embarrassment. "Now what are you waiting for? Undress."

"Right now? Already!? Surely there must be some sort of ceremony!"

"I told you that you need to change your kimono if you wanted to travel with me." Sesshoumaru clarified, disproving what she originally thought he had been suggesting.

"Oh, I can't undress here... Ah-Un and you are watching." Kikyou rejected. Jaken had stayed with Rin for the night, thus he was not with them.

"Ah-Un does not care. And neither do I." Sesshoumaru insisted, "I've already seen you nude. Do you not remember? There is nothing to be ashamed of. I do not understand human modesty." He continued with his suggestive talk, causing Kikyou great embarrassment. She literally turned various shades of pink at the memory, rivaling the colors of the sunset-painted sky. "And if you are to be my 'wife'," he forced the word out, humoring her, "Then you cannot always be embarrassed by it."

"Sesshoumaru, please." Kikyou pleaded. "Don't push it." She reflected his words from earlier, mimicking the pose he had said it with too. To her witty comeback, Sesshoumaru said nothing, instead he opted to pull the obi holding her kimono together and walked past her.

"Hurry up an change." Sesshoumaru ordered, trying very hard to keep his line of sight away from the young woman behind him. "Don't hold me down."

"I won't." Kikyou promised as she swiftly swapped outfits. "I'm ready." Kikyou announced, and immediately caught up to him. "Let us continue to the ends of the earth. Together."

_'I'll follow you forever, Sesshoumaru. For as long as I live.'_ Kikyou vowed to herself, for the first time in years feeling giddy without a trace of gloom or worry.

Unknown to Kikyou, Sesshoumaru also made a silent vow, to himself and to her. _'Father, I promised to myself I would surpass you in everything. In this too, I shall surpass you. I shall never let harm come to this woman. Unlike you, I will not fail to protect Kikyou nor Rin. You failed Inuyasha's mother, but I shall not fail them.'_

And so the two continued on, ignorant of the vows they had secretly made to each other. Neither knew exactly where they were headed, especially Kikyou, whom put her faith blindly unto Sesshoumaru's hands, but there was one thing that was certain – that wherever they went, they would be together...

**XXX**

**Author's (Final) Note: **It is with great pleasure/sadness that I end this here fic once and for all. It took me a couple of years, but I do hope that the end was enjoyable. With school looming over me, I'm afraid I could not spend as much time on this last chapter as I would have liked to, but what can one do?

But with a heavy heart (and a relieved one), I can finally say it's over. My first multi-chaptered fanfiction is done. To think I started this when I was thirteen/fourteen. And now I am twenty-years-old (thus the drastic change of writing style over the chapters. I hit writing puberty during the time I wrote this.). How time flies by.

Well, all I can say is stay tuned for my future works, for those who enjoy my writing. Also, feel free to check out all the other Inuyasha stories I have up on my profile page. (And/or Death Note and Phantom of the Opera fics).

Well, goodbye, readers. ;_; I want to thank all of you for sticking with me, despite the times that I have failed you. Reading all of your reviews has made me very happy. All your favorites/follows have also made this a very happy author. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. I hope you all leave a review! Pwetty Pwease! *puppy eyes*


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